title: Topiramate, carbamazepine, and valproate monotherapy: double-blind comparison in children with newly diagnosed epilepsy.
abstract: In a novel double-blind trial, topiramate was compared with the investigator's choice of carbamazepine or valproate as first-line therapy in patients as young as 6 years of age with newly diagnosed epilepsy. Among 613 patients enrolled in the trial, 119 (19%) were children or adolescents (6-16 years of age). No differences between fixed doses of topiramate (100 and 200 mg/day) and carbamazepine (600 mg/day) or valproate (1250 mg/day) were observed in efficacy measures: time to exit, time to first seizure, and the proportion of patients who were seizure free during the last 6 months of treatment. Topiramate 100 mg/day (2.0 mg/kg/day in this study population) was associated with the fewest discontinuations owing to side effects. Based on efficacy and tolerability, the recommended target dose for topiramate as first-line therapy in children and adolescents is 100 mg/day.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA. James.W.Wheless@uth.tmc.edu
authors.forename: James W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Wheless
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Neto
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005632:Fructose / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000077236:Topiramate; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077236:Topiramate; D005632:Fructose; D002220:Carbamazepine; D014635:Valproic Acid