Pharmacological treatment of childhood absence epilepsy

Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics

Volumn 6, Issue 6, 2006, Pages 855-862

  Posner, Ewa ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL OF NORTH DURHAM   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

Absence seizures; Childhood absence epilepsy; Ethosuximide; Lamotrigine; Levetiracetam; Seizure exacerbation; Valproate

Indexed keywords

ACETAZOLAMIDE; ANTICONVULSIVE AGENT; BENZODIAZEPINE; CLOBAZAM; CLONAZEPAM; ETHOSUXIMIDE; ETIRACETAM; GABAPENTIN; LAMOTRIGINE; TOPIRAMATE; VALPROATE SEMISODIUM; VALPROIC ACID; ZONISAMIDE;

BENIGN CHILDHOOD EPILEPSY; CLINICAL FEATURE; CLINICAL TRIAL; COORDINATION DISORDER; DIZZINESS; DROWSINESS; DRUG WITHDRAWAL; FATIGUE; FOLLOW UP; HUMAN; LIVER TOXICITY; NAUSEA; NONHUMAN; PATHOPHYSIOLOGY; PREVALENCE; PROGNOSIS; REVIEW; SOMNOLENCE;

ANTICONVULSANTS; DRUG THERAPY, COMBINATION; EPILEPSY, ABSENCE; HUMANS;

EID: 33745499246     PISSN: 14737175     EISSN: 17448360     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1586/14737175.6.6.855     Document Type: Review

References (73)

1. Commission on Classification and Terminology of the International League Against Epilepsy. Proposal for revised classification of epilepsies and epileptic syndromes. Epilepsia 30, 389-399 (1989). • An excellent review of issues relating to diagnosing epileptic syndromes, including childhood epilepsy.
2. Koutroumanidis M, Bourvari G, Tan SV. Idiopathic generalized epilepsies: clinical and electroencephalogram diagnosis and treatment. Expert Rev. Neurotherapeutics 5(6), 753-767 (2005). • This up-to-date reference text outlines all the important issues relating to childhood absence epilepsy.
3. Panayiotopoulos CP. Childhood absence epilepsy. In: The Epilepsies. Seizures, Syndromes and Management (First Edition). Bladon Medical Publishing, Oxford, UK, 301 (2005).
4. Grosso S, Galimberti D, Vezzosi P et al. Childhood absence epilepsy: evolution and prognostic factors. Epilepsia 46(11), 1796-1801 (2005).
5. Olsson I. Epidemiology of absence epilepsy. Concept and incidence. Acta. Paediatr. Scand. 77, 860-866 (1988).
6. Loiseau J, Loiseau P, Guyot M et al. Survey of seizure disorders in the French south west. Incidence of epileptic syndromes. Epilepsia 31, 391-396 (1990).
7. Blom S, Heijbel J, Bergfors PG. Incidence of epilepsy in children: a follow-up study three years after the first seizure. Epilepsia 19, 343-350 (1978).
8. Callenbach PMC, Geerts AT, Arts WFM et al. Familial occurrence of epilepsy in children with newly diagnosed multiple seizures: Dutch study of epilepsy in childhood. Epilepsia 39(3), 331-336 (1998).
9. Berg AT, Shinnar S, Levy SR et al. Newly diagnosed epilepsy in children: presentation at diagnosis. Epilepsia 40, 445-452 (1999).
10. Jallon P, Latour P. Epidemiology of idiopathic generalized epilepsies. Epilepsia 46(Suppl. 9), 10-14 (2005).
11. Gardiner M. Genetics of idiopathic generalized epilepsies. Epilepsia 46(Suppl. 9), 15-20 (2005).
12. Blumenfeld H. Cellular and network mechanisms of spike-wave seizures. Epilepsia 46(Suppl. 9), 21-23 (2005).
13. Meeren H, Luijtelaar G, Lopes da Silva F et al. Evolving concepts on the pathophysiology of absence seizures. Arch. Neurol. 62, 371-376 (2005).
14. Huguenard JR. Neuronal circuitry of thalamocortical epilepsy and mechanisms of anti-absence drug action. Adv. Neurol. 79, 991-999 (1999).
15. Meeren HKM, Pijn JPM, Van Luijtelaar ELJM et al. Cortical focus drives widespread corticothalamic networks during spontaneous absence seizures in rats. J. Neurosci. 22(4), 1480-1495 (2002).
16. Manning JPA, Richards DA, Leresche N et al. Cortical-area specific block of genetically determined absence seizures by ethosuximide. Neuroscience 123(1), 5-9 (2004).
17. Panayiotopoulos CP. Childhood absence epilepsy. In: The Epilepsies. Seizures, Syndromes and Management (First Edition). Bladon Medical Publishing, Oxford, UK, 278 (2005). •• Excellent in-depth analysis of scientific research behind clinical applications in absence epilepsies.
18. Manning JP, Richards DA, Bowery NG. Pharmacology of absence epilepsy. Trends Pharmacol. Sci. 24, 542-549 (2003).
19. Vanasse CM, Beland R, Carmant L et al. Impact of childhood epilepsy on reading and phonological processing abilities. Epilepsy Behavior 7(2), 288-296 (2005).
20. Mirsky AF, Duncan CC, Levav ML. Neuropsychological and psychophysiological aspects of absence epilepsy. In: Typical Absences and Related Syndromes. Duncan JS, Panayiotopoulos CP (Eds). Churchill Communications, London, UK, 112-119 (1995). •• Concise resume of how new anticonvulsants fit into current treatment of idiopathic generalized epilepsies.
21. Bergey GK. Evidence-based treatment of idiopathic generalized epilepsies with new antiepileptic drugs. Epilepsia 46(Suppl. 9), 161-168 (2005).
22. Wirrell E, Camfield C, Camfield P et al. Prognostic significance of failure of the initial antiepileptic drug in children with absence epilepsy. Epilepsia 42(6), 760-763 (2001).
23. Treatment of typical absences differs from that of other types of seizures. Drugs and Therapy Perspectives 18(4), 16-20 (2002).
24. Erenberg G, Rothner A, Henry C et al. Valproic acid in the treatment of intractable absence seizures in children. Am. J. Dis. Child 136, 526-529 (1982).
25. Epilim. Product monograph. Sanofi Winthrop Ltd, Surrey, UK (1995).
26. Davis R, Peters DH, McTavish D. Valproic acid: a reappraisal of its pharmacological properties and clinical efficacy in epilepsy. Drugs 47, 332-372 (1994).
27. Dulac O, Rey E, Chiron C. Antiepileptic drug interactions in children, In: Antiepileptic Drugs. Majkowski J (Ed.). Cambridge University Press, UK (2005).
28. Alsdorf R, Wyszynski D, Teratogenicity of sodium valproate. Expert Opin. Drug Safety 4(2), 345-353 (2005).
29. Covanis A, Skiadas K, Loli N et al. Absence epilepsy: early prognostic signs. Seizure 1, 281-289 (1992). •• Cochrane Library systematic review of current evidence for use of these three anticonvulsants in typical absence seizures.
30. Posner EB, Mohamed K, Marson AG. A systematic review of treatment of typical absence seizures in children and adolescents with ethosuximide, sodium valproate or lamotrigine. Seizure 14(2), 117-122 (2005).
31. Sato S, White BG, Penry JK et al. Valproic acid versus ethosuximide in the treatment of absence seizures. Neurology 32, 157-163 (1982).
32. Callaghan N, O'Hare J, O'Driscoll D et al. Comparative study of ethosuximide and sodium valproate in the treatment of typical absence seizures (petit mal). Dev. Med. Child Neurol. 24, 830-836 (1982).
33. Martinovic Z. Comparison of ethosuximide with sodium valproate as monotherapies of absence seizures. In: Advances in Epileptology: 14th Epilepsy International Symposium. Parsonage M (Ed.). Raven Press, NY, USA, 301-305 (1983).
34. Leach MJ, Marden CM, Miller AA. Pharmacological studies on lamotrigine, a novel potential antiepileptic drug: two neurochemical studies of the mechanism of action. Epilepsia 27, 490-497 (1986).
35. Schlumberger E, Chavez F, Palacios L et al. Lamotrigine in treatment of 120 children with epilepsy. Epilepsia 35, 359-367 (1994).
36. Gericke CA, Pickard F, de Saint-Martin A et al. Efficacy of lamotrigine in idiopathic generalized epilepsy syndromes: a video-EEG-controlled, open study. Epileptic Disorders 1(3), 159-166 (1999).
37. Frank LM, Enlow T, Holmes GL et al. Lamictal (lamotrigine) monotherapy for typical absence seizures in children. Epilepsia 40, 973-979 (1999).
38. Coppola G, Auricchio G, Federico R et al. Lamotrigine versus Valproic acid as first-line monotherapy in newly diagnosed typical absence seizures: an open-label, randomised, parallel-group study, Epilepsia 45(9), 1049-1053 (2004).
39. Besag FMC, Dulac O, Alving J et al. Long term safety and efficacy of lamotrigine (lamictal) in paediatric patients with epilepsy. Seizure 6, 51-56 (1997).
40. Duchowny M, Gilman J, Messenheimer J et al. Long-term tolerability and efficacy of lamotrigine in pediatric patients with epilepsy. J. Child Neurol. 17, 278-285 (2002).
41. Macdonald RL, Kelly KM. Antiepileptic drug mechanisms of action. Epilepsia 36(Suppl. 2), S2-S12 (1995).
42. Richens A, Ethosuximide and valproate, In: Typical Absences and Related Epileptic Syndromes. Duncan JS, Panayiotopoulos CP (Eds). Churchill Communications Europe, London, UK, 361 (1995).
43. Wallace SJ. Mioclonus and epilepsy in childhood: a review of treatment with valproate, ethosuximide, lamotrigine and zonisamide. Epilepsy Res. 29, 147-154 (1998).
44. Coulter DA. Antiepileptic drug cellular mechanisms of action: where does lamotrigine fit in? J. Child Neurol. 12(Suppl. 1), S2-S9 (1997).
45. Mikkelsen B, Birket-Smith E, Bradt S et al. Clonazepam in the treatment of epilepsy. A controlled clinical trial in simple absences, bilateral massive epileptic myoclonus, and atonic seizures. Arch. Neurol. 33(5), 322-325 (1976). •• Latest news about new drugs in the treatment of generalized epilepsies.
46. Hitiris N, Brodie MJ. Evidence-based treatment of idiopathic generalized epilepsies with older antiepileptic drugs, Epilepsia 46(Suppl. 9), 149-153 (2005).
47. Lombroso CT, Forxythe I. A long-term follow-up of acetazolamide (diamox) in the treatment of epilepsy. Epilepsia 1, 493-500 (1960).
48. Perucca E. Acetozolamide, Sulthiame. In: Comprehensive Epileptology. Dam M, Gram L (Eds). Raven Press, NY, USA 613-620 (1991).
49. Lukyanetz EA, Shkryl VM, Kostyuk PG. Selective blockade of N-type calcium channels by levetiracetam, Epilepsia 43(1), 9-18 (2002).
50. Krauss LG, Betts T, Abou-Khalil B. Levetiracetam treatment of idiopathic generalised epilepsy. Seizure 12(8), 617-620 (2003).
51. Panayiotopoulos CP. Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy. In: The Epilepsies. Seizures, syndromes and management. Bladon Medical Publishing (2006) (In press).
52. Di Bonaventura C, Fattouch J, Mari F et al. Clinical experience with levetiracetam in idiopathic generalized epilepsy according to different syndrome subtypes. Epileptic Disorders 7, 231-235 (2005).
53. Gruenewald R. Levetiracetam in the treatment of idiopathic generalized epilepsies. Epilepsia 46(Suppl. 9), 154-160 (2005).
54. Verdru P. Epilepsy in children: the evidence for new antiepileptic drugs. Acta Neurol. Scand. 181, 17-20 (2005).
55. Tan MJ, Appleton RE. Efficacy and tolerability of levetiracetam in children aged 10 years and younger: a clinical experience. Seizure 13(3), 142-145 (2004).
56. Cross H, Topiramate monotherapy for childhood absence seizures: an open label pilot study. Seizure 11, 406-410 (2002).
57. Suzuki S, Kawakami K, Nishimura S et al. Zonisamide blocks T-type calcium channel in cultured neurons of rat cerebral cortex. Epilepsy Res. 12, 21-27 (1992).
58. Andriola MR, Miller MA, Vitale SJ et al. Zonisamide as adjunctive and monotherapy in absence epilepsy. Epilepsia 43(Suppl. 7), 109 (2002).
59. Wilfong A. Schultz R. Zonisamide for absence seizures. Epilepsy Res. 64, 31-34 (2005).
60. Trudeau V, Myers S, LaMoreaux L et al. Gabapentin in naive childhood absence epilepsy: results from two double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter studies. J. Child Neurol. 11(6), 470-475 (1996).
61. Panayiotopoulos CP, Ferrie CD, Knott C et al. Interaction of lamotrigine with sodium valproate. Lancet 341, 445 (1993).
62. Ferrie CD, Robinson RO, Knott C et al. Lamotrigine as an add-on drug in typical absence seizures. Acta Neurol. Scand. 91, 200-202 (1995).
63. Cunnington M, Tennis P. Lamotrigine and the risk of malformation in pregnancy. Neurology 64, 955-960 (2005).
64. Morrow JI, Russell A, Gutherie E et al. Malformation risks of anti-epileptic drugs in pregnancy: a prospective study from the UK Epilepsy and Pregnancy Register. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry 77, 193-198 (2006).
65. Genton P. When antiepileptic drugs aggravate epilepsy. Brain Dev. 22, 75-80 (2000).
66. Perucca E, Gram L, Avanzini G et al. Antiepileptic drugs as a cause of worsening seizures. Epilepsia 39(1), 5-17 (1998).
67. Wallengren C, Li S, Morris MJ et al. Aggravation of absence seizures by carbamazepine in a genetic rat model does not induce neuronal c-Fos activation. Clin. Neuropharmacol. 28(2), 60-65 (2005).
68. Panayiotopoulos CP, Agathonikou A, Sharoqi IA et al. Vigabatrin aggravates absences and absence status. Neurology 49(5), 1467 (1997).
69. Knake S, Hamer HM, Schomburg U et al. Tiagabine-induced absence status in idiopathic generalized epilepsy. Seizure 8(5), 314-317 (1999).
70. Lerman-Sagie T, Watemberg N, Kramer U et al. Absence seizures aggravated by valproic acid. Epilepsia 42(7), 941-943 (2001).
71. Horn CS, Ater SB, Hurst DL. Carbamazepine-exacerbated epilepsy in children and adolescents. Pediatr Neurol. 2, 340-345 (1986).
72. Parker APJ, Agathonikou A, Robinson RO et al. Inappropriate use of carbamazepine and vigabatrin in typical absence seizures. Dev. Med. Child Neurol. 40, 517-519 (1998).
73. Gelisse P, Genton P, Kuate C et al. Worsening of seizures by oxcarbazepine in juvenile idiopathic generalized epilepsies. Epilepsia 45, 1282-1286 (2004).