Treatment of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy.
Drug treatment of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) is mainly based on clinical experience and prospective and retrospective studies, with little evidence from randomized clinical trials. There are almost no head-to-head comparisons between old and new antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). Valproate is the drug of the first choice in men with JME. In women, lamotrigine (LTG) should be preferred regarding teratogenicity and side effects of valproate. Levetiracetam (LEV) is also effective. Recent data suggest that it may soon be used as first line treatment. Some AEDs can aggravate JME. In addition to AEDs, nonpharmacological treatments are important in JME. JME usually requires lifelong treatment because seizures nearly always return after withdrawal of therapy.
Auvin
Stéphane
S
Department of Pediatric Neurology, Lille University Hospital, Pharmacology Laboratory, Lille School of Medicine, Lille, France. auvin@invivo.edu
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000145:classification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D000077213:Lamotrigine; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D008297:Male; D020190:Myoclonic Epilepsy, Juvenile / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010889:Piracetam / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012737:Sex Factors; D014227:Triazines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D014227:Triazines; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D014635:Valproic Acid; D000077213:Lamotrigine; D010889:Piracetam