title: Topiramate monotherapy in infantile spasm.
abstract: Infantile spasm is an age-related refractory epilepsy. Topiramate is a new anticonvulsant with multiple mechanisms of action, and it may be effective for treating pediatric epilepsies. To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of first-line topiramate treatment for infantile spasm, 20 patients received topiramate monotherapy during this study. They were treated with an initial dose of 1mg/kg/day, with a progressive titration of 1 mg/kg a week until their spasms were controlled and a maximum dose of 12 mg/kg/day was achieved. The evaluation of the treatment efficacy was based on the spasm frequency data that was obtained by the scalp and video-EEG, and by the parental count of spasm. Thirty percent of the subjects became spasm-free during the study. Six of 20 subjects (30%) had cessation of spasm and disappearance of hypsarrhythmia as seen via the video EEG; four (50%) of eight idiopathic patients had a response, whereas two (17%) of 12 patients with symptomatic infantile spasm responded. Seventy of the patients, including the spasm-free patients, had a reduction in their seizure frequency of more than 50%, and 10% of the patients had a reduction in their seizure frequency of less than 50%. The clusters of spasm frequency decreased from 10.6 +/- 8.5 to 3.5 +/- 1.4 clusters/day. Topiramate is effective and tolerated in those patients suffering from infantile spasm. Our results suggest that this drug should be considered as a new first-line drug for treating infantile spasm.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Neurology, Inha University Hospital, 7-206 3-ga, Shinheung-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon 400-103, Korea. ysped@inha.ac.kr
authors.forename: Young-Se
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Yong-Hoon
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Jun
authors.forename: Young-Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Byong-Kwan
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Son
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D005632:Fructose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D013036:Spasms, Infantile / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000077236:Topiramate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077236:Topiramate; D005632:Fructose