Ewa B Posner1, Khalid Mohamed, Anthony G Marson. 1. Sir James Spence Institute of Child Health, The Royal Victoria Infirmary, Queen Victoria Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4LP, UK. E.B.Posner@ncl.ac.uk
Abstract
PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of ethosuximide, sodium valproate and lamotrigine in children and adolescents with typical absence seizures (AS). METHODS: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials that included children or adolescents with typical absence seizures who received treatment with ethosuximide, sodium valproate or lamotrigine. RESULTS: Four RCTs fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Due to the heterogeneity of the studies the results could not be pooled in a meta-analysis. CONCLUSIONS: We found no reliable evidence to inform clinical practice. The design of further trials should be pragmatic and compare one drug with another.
PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of ethosuximide, sodium valproate and lamotrigine in children and adolescents with typical absence seizures (AS). METHODS: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials that included children or adolescents with typical absence seizures who received treatment with ethosuximide, sodium valproate or lamotrigine. RESULTS: Four RCTs fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Due to the heterogeneity of the studies the results could not be pooled in a meta-analysis. CONCLUSIONS: We found no reliable evidence to inform clinical practice. The design of further trials should be pragmatic and compare one drug with another.
Authors: Gregory L Holmes; L Matthew Frank; Raj D Sheth; Bryan Philbrook; John D Wooten; Alain Vuong; Susan Kerls; Anne E Hammer; John Messenheimer Journal: Epilepsy Res Date: 2008-09-07 Impact factor: 3.045