Response to vigabatrin in relation to seizure type.

1. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of vigabatrin in relation to the seizure type. 2. A review of the literature concerning the efficacy of vigabatrin in clinical trials was performed. 3. To date, vigabatrin has been used in a small number of patients with generalized seizures: in this group no significant effect was noted. 4. Vigabatrin was also given to a large number of patients with complex partial seizures: in this group vigabatrin produced a greater than 50% decrease in seizure frequency in almost 50% of patients included. 5. This review provides evidence that vigabatrin is effective in the treatment of complex partial seizures: patients with only one seizure type, low seizure frequency and unifocal EEG abnormalities are particularly expected to respond. 6. This implies that patients with complex partial seizures do not constitute an homogeneous group and that various parameters should be considered in the evaluation of the response to treatment.