title: Discontinuation of anticonvulsant therapy in children with partial epilepsy.
abstract: To evaluate when it is possible to discontinue anticonvulsant treatment in children with cryptogenic partial epilepsy, the authors studied 89 epileptic children divided into two groups: Group A, 45 children whose therapy was discontinued after 1 year from the last seizure; and Group B, 44 children whose therapy was stopped after 2 years from the last seizure. After 5 years of follow-up, the recurrence rate was similar in the two groups of patients (Group A, 28.8%; Group B, 25%). It is safe to discontinue the anticonvulsant therapy in children with cryptogenic partial epilepsy who were seizure free for only 1 year.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Chieti, Ospedale Policlinico, Italy. averrott@obelix.unich.it
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verrotti
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morresi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Basciani
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cutarella
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morgese
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chiarelli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants