Purpose: To report on the first multicenter Italian experience with zonisamide as an add-on drug for refractory generalised or partial epilepsy in children, adolescents and young adults. Methods: The patients were enrolled in a prospective, add-on, open-label treatment study from eight Italian centres for children and adolescent epilepsy care. Eighty-two young patients (45 males, 37 females), aged between 3 and 34 years (mean 13.1 years), all affected by partial (47) or generalised (35) refractory epilepsy, were enrolled in the study. ZNS was added to the baseline therapy at a starting dose of 1 mg/kg/day twice daily. This dose was increased by 2 mg/kg every 1—2 weeks over a period of up 3 months, according to the patient’s response and tolerability, up to a maximum dose of 12 mg/kg. ZNS was given at the mean daily dose of 5.7/mg/kg/24 h (range 1—12 mg/kg). Results: After a mean follow-up period of 11.9 months (range 2—64 months), 9 patients (10.9%) were seizure-free. The number of seizures decreased by 50—99% in 31 cases (37.8%), by 25—49% in 5 cases (6.1%), remained the same in 29 cases (35.4%) and increased in 8 cases (9.7%).
Zonisamide in children and young adults with refractory epilepsy: An open label, multicenter Italian study
VERROTTI DI PIANELLA, Alberto;
2009-01-01
Abstract
Purpose: To report on the first multicenter Italian experience with zonisamide as an add-on drug for refractory generalised or partial epilepsy in children, adolescents and young adults. Methods: The patients were enrolled in a prospective, add-on, open-label treatment study from eight Italian centres for children and adolescent epilepsy care. Eighty-two young patients (45 males, 37 females), aged between 3 and 34 years (mean 13.1 years), all affected by partial (47) or generalised (35) refractory epilepsy, were enrolled in the study. ZNS was added to the baseline therapy at a starting dose of 1 mg/kg/day twice daily. This dose was increased by 2 mg/kg every 1—2 weeks over a period of up 3 months, according to the patient’s response and tolerability, up to a maximum dose of 12 mg/kg. ZNS was given at the mean daily dose of 5.7/mg/kg/24 h (range 1—12 mg/kg). Results: After a mean follow-up period of 11.9 months (range 2—64 months), 9 patients (10.9%) were seizure-free. The number of seizures decreased by 50—99% in 31 cases (37.8%), by 25—49% in 5 cases (6.1%), remained the same in 29 cases (35.4%) and increased in 8 cases (9.7%).I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
