Rufinamide for refractory epilepsy in a pediatric and young adult population.

This chart review investigated the efficacy and safety of rufinamide in 45 children and young adults who experienced a broad spectrum of partial and generalized seizure/epilepsy types which have been refractory to therapy. Of these patients, 19 (46%) achieved a >50% decrease in seizure frequency on rufinamide, and 7 patients achieved a >75% decrease in seizure frequency. While 17 (37.8%) patients stopped their trial of rufinamide prior to the end of the review period, only 2 (4.4%) were due to adverse effects. Although additional research must be done, this data shows promise that rufinamide is a safe and efficacious adjunct for cases of refractory epilepsy. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.