title: Comparison of add-on valproate and primidone in carbamazepine-unresponsive patients with partial epilepsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evaluation of the efficacy of add-on valproate (VPA) or primidone (PRM) in patients with partial epilepsy unresponsive to carbamazepine (CBZ).
  
  
  METHODS
  The trial was prospective and open. Patients, aged 8-58 years, with partial epilepsy who did not become seizure free on CBZ were randomized to either VPA add-on or PRM add-on. The baseline period and the evaluation period were both 3 months. Proportions of patients with different degrees of reduction in seizure frequency were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significantly more patients on VPA (51% of 68 patients) achieved a greater than 50% seizure reduction than on PRM (34% of 68 patients). There was no significant difference in percentage seizure free (26% and 16%, respectively) or in percentage treatment withdrawals due to adverse effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicated that the efficacy of the CBZ/VPA combination tends to be greater than the efficacy of the CBZ/PRM combination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China. meizhensun23@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Mei Zhen
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Charles L P
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Deckers
authors.forename: Yu Xi
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011324:Primidone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012640:Seizures / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D011324:Primidone; D002220:Carbamazepine; D014635:Valproic Acid