title: Use of clobazam for the treatment of refractory complex partial seizures.
abstract: Clobazam (CLB) add-on therapy was attempted in 183 patients with intractable complex partial seizures in whom conventional benzodiazepines had been successfully discontinued before initiation of CLB. Although complete remission was initially achieved in 61, tolerance developed in almost half (49.2%) within the first 3 months, whereas 23 out of 31 patients (74.2%) who remained seizure free for the first 3 months continued to be so over the next 3 months. CLB add-on therapy proved to be significantly more effective when concurrent GTC occurred more often than yearly. In the current series, no frank psychotic episodes were elicited among the 61 patients who achieved complete suppression of long-standing complex partial seizures, which was in agreement with previous studies. From these results, we believe that CLB is an effective, safe, and inexpensive medication for add-on therapy in difficult to treat focal epilepsies, especially without concurrent use of conventional benzodiazepine compounds.
authors.affiliation: Utano National Hospital, Kansai Regional Epilepsy Center, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Hisako
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kawasaki
authors.forename: Shoji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yuasa
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tarao
authors.forename: Sachiyo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumagai
authors.forename: Kousuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kanemoto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000078306:Clobazam; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D017029:Epilepsy, Complex Partial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D000078306:Clobazam