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Ethosuximide named most effective treatment for childhood epilepsy
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One of the oldest available anti-seizure medications, ethosuximide, is the most effective treatment for childhood absence epilepsy, according to initial outcomes of a recently published study.
The study group compared three medications typically used to treat the most common childhood epilepsy syndrome, childhood absence epilepsy, which is characterized by frequent non-convulsive seizures that cause the child to stop what he or she is doing and stare for up to 30 seconds at time. Prior to this study, there was no definitive evidence on which drug worked best.
Thirty-two pediatric epilepsy centers nationwide were selected to participate in the landmark clinical trial as part of the NIH Childhood Absence Epilepsy Study Group.
The study group enrolled 453 children newly diagnosed with childhood absence epilepsy from July 2004 to October 2007. Study participants were randomly assigned to ethosuximide, valproic acid or lamotrigine. Medication doses were increased in the participants until each child was seizure-free. After 16 weeks of therapy, the researchers found ethosuximide and valproic acid were significantly more effective than lamotrigine in controlling seizures, with no intolerable side effects. The researchers also determined ethosuximide was associated with significantly fewer negative effects on attention.
The national study group recommended long-term follow up for the study participants and recently received a five-year extension from the NIH. The study is funded by grants from the NIH.
Glauser T. N Engl J Med. 2010; 362:790-799.