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Journal of Pediatric Epilepsy 2017; 06(02): 103-110
DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1599190
Original Article
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Effectiveness and Tolerability of Rufinamide in Children and Young People: A Survey of Experience from the United Kingdom

Hui Jeen Tan
1   Department of Paediatric Neurology, Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, United Kingdom
,
Mostafa Awadh
2   Department of Neurology, Ain Shams University Hospital, Cairo, Egypt
3   Fraser of Allander Neurosciences Unit, Royal Hospital for Sick Children (Yorkhill), Glasgow, United Kingdom
,
Mary O'Regan
3   Fraser of Allander Neurosciences Unit, Royal Hospital for Sick Children (Yorkhill), Glasgow, United Kingdom
,
Timothy R. Martland
1   Department of Paediatric Neurology, Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, United Kingdom
,
Rachel Kneen
4   The Roald Dahl EEG Unit, Department of Neurology, Royal Liverpool Children's (Alder Hey) NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, United Kingdom
5   Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

12 May 2016

21 December 2016

Publication Date:
16 March 2017 (online)

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to collate information on the clinical use of rufinamide in a pediatric population with epilepsy. A standardized proforma was sent to a group of pediatric neurologists and pediatricians in the United Kingdom requesting information about patients who were prescribed rufinamide. A total of 76 patients, with a median (range) age of 10.2 (2.8–19.8) years, were included. The patients had heterogeneous epilepsy syndromes, including 30 (39.5%) with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS), refractory to a minimum of three previous antiepileptic drugs. The median (range) maintenance dose of rufinamide was 25.4 (6.3–60) mg/kg/d. After 3 months of treatment, two (2.6%) of the 76 patients became seizure free, and 21 (27.6%) had ≥ 50% reduction in seizure frequency. The median (range) duration of treatment was 4.2 (0.5–38.4) months. At the last follow-up, 15 (19.7%) of the 76 patients continued with ≥ 50% reduction in seizure frequency; 2 of whom remained seizure free. Eighteen (23.7%) patients had treatment-emergent unwanted effects contributing to its discontinuation in nine (11.8%). In this study of a heterogeneous group of children and young people with medically refractory epilepsy on rufinamide, there was ≥ 50% seizure reduction in 30% at 3 months and 20% at the last follow-up.

Keywords

rufinamide - children - epilepsy
 

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