title: Treatment of pediatric epilepsy in Poland.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The many types of childhood epilepsies make the diagnosis and treatment difficult and the outcomes frequently poor. Furthermore, there are few clinical trials in pediatric epilepsy that provide useful results to guide daily practice. Therefore for pediatric neurologists expert opinion may be useful.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To provide an overview of current practice in Poland and compare results with European and US clinical guidelines.
  
  
  METHODS
  Polish specialists in pediatric neurology were asked to participate in a survey about pediatric epilepsy. The focus of the questions was on the overall strategy and treatment options for different syndromic diagnoses. The survey was developed and performed according to a previous European survey (Wheless et al., 2007).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-one Polish specialists, working in academic or clinical settings, completed the questionnaire. They limited combination therapy to two or three antiepileptic drugs. Valproate was the treatment of choice for myoclonic, generalized tonic-clonic seizures and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. For infantile spasms caused by tuberous sclerosis and of symptomatic etiology, vigabatrin was treatment of choice; valproate and ACTH were other first line options. Valproate and ethosuximide were chosen for childhood absence epilepsy and valproate for juvenile absence epilepsy. Carbamazepine was the first-line treatment option for benign partial epilepsy of childhood with centrotemporal spikes and complex partial seizures. In the treatment of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy for males valproate, for females lamotrigine were chosen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Polish pediatric neurologists agreed on the majority of questions. Their views reflect the clinical utility and availability of treatment options in Poland. Results may provide direction for clinicians.
authors: Department of Neurology and Epileptology, The Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: Dorota
authors: D
authors: Dunin-Wąsowicz
authors: Department of Developmental Neurology, Chair of Neurology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Poland.
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Mazurkiewicz-Bełdzińska
authors: Chair, Department of Developmental Neurology, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, Poland.
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Steinborn
authors: University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA; Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA.
authors: James
authors: J
authors: Wheless
authors: Department of Neurology and Epileptology, The Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland. Electronic address: sergiusz.jozwiak@gmail.com.
authors: Sergiusz
authors: S
authors: Jóźwiak
mesh_terms: D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants
keywords: Antiepileptic drugs; Children; Pediatric epilepsy; Poland; Seizure