Treatment of idiopathic generalized epilepsy - a review of the evidence.

INTRODUCTION: Epilepsy is stratified into idiopathic partial, symptomatic partial, idiopathic generalized (IGE) and symptomatic generalized epilepsies. AREAS COVERED: The epidemiology and clinical characteristics of IGE are reviewed in this paper. Clinically, IGE is characterized by the occurrence of any of the following three seizure types: absence seizures, myoclonic seizures and primarily generalized tonic-clonic seizures. To assess the presence of evidence-based data on the treatment of IGE, the literature was extensively reviewed for studies evaluating the treatment of IGE with various antiepileptic drugs. These studies were stratified into four classes based on recently described criteria. Class I studies were considered as providing evidence of the efficacy of the drug in patients with IGE. Finally, suggestions to evaluate the efficacy of a study drug in patients with IGE are presented. EXPERT OPINION: Based on the reviewed data, there is strong evidence-based data to support the use of valproate and ethosuximide for the treatment of childhood absence seizures; for the use of topiramate as monotherapy or adjunctive therapy for patients with primarily generalized tonic-clonic seizures; for the use of adjunctive therapy with lamotrigine for the treatment of primarily generalized tonic-clonic seizures; and for the use of levetiracetam as adjunctive therapy for the treatment of myoclonic or primarily generalized tonic-clonic seizures. To evaluate a new drug as a potential treatment for patients with IGE requires a rational methodology, discussed in this review.