title: Valproate in adolescents with photosensitive epilepsy with generalized tonic-clonic seizures only.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effects of valproate (VPA) on seizure response/control and photosensitivity (PS) in adolescents suffering from photosensitive epilepsy with generalized tonic-clonic seizures only (EGTCS).
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively evaluated 55 adolescents with newly diagnosed EGTCS and PS at presentation, who received VPA monotherapy. Two phases of the study were defined and analysed separately. In the phase I, the electroclinical data of patients were compared over three time points: T1 (at 6 months of treatment); T2 (at 12 months of treatment); and T3 (at 36 months of treatment). In the phase II, only patients who stopped VPA were evaluated over a period of 12 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At both T2 and T3 there was a significant great percentage of seizure-free patients compared with that at T1 (78.2% vs 69.1%, p < 0.01; and 85.5% vs 69.1%, p < 0.001) and a similar trend was also noted according to PS-free patients (70.9% vs 52.7%, p < 0.01; 80.0% vs 52.7% p < 0.001). At the end of the phase II, 46.5% and 32.6% out of 43 patients who stopped VPA had seizure relapses and reappearance of PS, respectively. In particular, 78.6% of the 14 patients with PS reappearance presented the same type of EEG response showed at study entry.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VPA monotherapy is very effective for both seizure outcome control and PS reduction in adolescents with EGTCS. Treatment discontinuation induces relapse of seizures and PS in a certain number of patients. PS reappearance presented the same type of EEG response showed before VPA treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Chieti, Via dei Vestini 5, 66100 Chieti, Italy; Department of Pediatrics, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verrotti
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grosso
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Chieti, Via dei Vestini 5, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: D'Egidio
authors.affiliation: Chair of Pediatrics, II Faculty of Medicine, "La Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Parisi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, I Faculty of Medicine, "La Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spalice
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Neurology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Piero
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pavone
authors.affiliation: Epilepsy Center, Department of Child Neuropsychiatry, C. Poma Hospital, Mantova, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Capovilla
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Chieti, Via dei Vestini 5, 66100 Chieti, Italy. Electronic address: sergio_agostinelli@yahoo.it.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Agostinelli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002648:Child; D004569:Electroencephalography; D020195:Epilepsy, Reflex / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004830:Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D014635:Valproic Acid
keywords: Adolescents; Epilepsy with generalized tonic–clonic seizures only; Photosensitivity; Valproate