Open label trial with vigabatrin in children with intractable epilepsy

Thirty children (20 males, 10 females) with intractable epilepsy received vigabatrin (VGB) as an open label basis to preexisting antiepileptic drugs. The seizure types consisted of generalized tonic clonic seizure [10], complex partial seizure [8], myoclonic seizure [7], and mixed type with simple partial seizure, complex partial seizure and / or generalized seizure [5]. The cause of the epilepsy was cryptogenic in 16 and symptomatic in 12. The current dosage regime of anticonvulsants were maintained during the trial period. VGB at 40–80 mg/kg/day were titrated according to the clinical response for a period of 2–24 months. The result of treatment was categorized as ‘responders’ with 13 (43%) having 50–75% reduction of seizure frequency; and ‘non-responders’ which consisted of 17 children. There was no relationship between outcome of VBG add-on therapy and the sex, age of onset, type of seizure, type of epileptic syndrome, etiology, associated neurological abnormality, mental retardation or abnormal brain CT/MRI findings.