J Korean Child Neurol Soc.  2017 Jun;25(2):89-92. 10.0000/jkcns.2017.25.2.89.

Effectiveness and Tolerability of Rufinamide in Korean Children with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome

• Min S
• Jo T
• Suh H
• Roh D
• Hwang SK
• Lee Y
• Kwon S

• KMID: 2385928
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.0000/jkcns.2017.25.2.89

Abstract

PURPOSE
Rufinamide (RFM) is known to be effective for children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS). The aim of this study is to evaluate its efficacy and tolerability of Korean children with LGS.
METHODS
This is a single center, open label, retrospective study. Patients with LGS who received rufinamide as adjunctive therapy were enrolled in this study. Their baseline clinical characteristics, the percent change in the seizure frequency per 4 weeks, and adverse events were evaluated.
RESULTS
Among 32 children, 20 were males and the mean age was 11.3±6.6 years. After 1 month of rufinamide medication, the frequency of seizures was reduced by more than 50% in 31.3% of patients and 6.3% of patients had no seizures. After 6 months of rufinamide administration, patients with a 50% or less decrease in seizure frequency remained in a state of reduced seizure frequency and 3.1% of patients had no seizures. Side effects such as nausea, vomiting, anorexia, less active, somnolence, aggression, drooling were noted in 28.1% of patients.
CONCLUSION
This study suggests that rufinamide can be considered as an effective and safe treatment option for intractable epileptic children such as LGS.

Keyword

Rufinamide; Lennox-Gastaut syndrome; Children; Epilepsy

MeSH Terms

Aggression
Anorexia
Child*
Epilepsy
Humans
Male
Nausea
Retrospective Studies
Seizures
Sialorrhea
Vomiting