Comparative Efficacy of Pharmacological Treatment of Absence Epilepsy with Typical and Deviating (Complex) EEG Patterns

Abstract

In a group of 96 children and teenagers suffering from absence epilepsy, we compared the efficacy of treatment with a valproic acid derivative, Depakin (D). In 72 patients of group 1, the EEGs contained typical bursts similar to absence seizure phenomena (generalized 3–4 Hz spike/wave complexes, SWCs). In 24 patients, these EEG phenomena were combined with other types of epileptiform elements (generalized and focal irregular peak/wave complexes, single and grouped sharp waves, spikes, polyspikes, etc.). It was found that pharmacotherapy with D effectively eliminated SWCs generated in the resting state of the patients; epileptiform phenomena provoked by hyperventilation and rhythmic photostimulation were noticeably more resistant from this aspect. The efficacy of treatment with D was considerably higher in group 1 (patients with the EEG patterns including only SWCs) than in group 2 (patients with deviating EEG patterns containing, together with SWCs, epileptiform elements of other types). Six months after the D therapy initiation, complete elimination of typical 3–4 Hz SWCs was observed in 63.9% of group-1 patients and in 41.7% of group-2 patients.