The quantitative background EEG effects (power spectral analysis) and plasma concentration of sodium valproate were studied after acute single-dose administration and during long-term single-drug treatment, in 10 previously untreated epileptic patients with generalized nonconvulsive seizures. A transient decrease of the signal amplitude (preponderant on anterior scalp areas) and of the 12.5 to 45.0-Hz relative power (limited to the posterior electrode derivations) was observed during the first weeks of chronic treatment. These EEG effects were not correlated with the drug plasma concentration levels or with the occurrence of behavioral side effects (e.g. drowsiness), while being concomitant with the reduction of specific epileptic EEG phenomena. Opposite trends of variation were observed after single-dose acute administration, though with limited statistical significance across subjects.

We have studied 64 epileptic subjects aged 2–54 years. The subjects were not hyperuricemic and presented daily or weekly severe seizures not controlled by optimal therapy with antiepileptic drugs maintained at ‘therapeutic’ plasma concentrations. Allopurinol at doses ranging from 150 to 300 mg daily was added to a preexisting antiepileptic drug treatment which was never modified throughout a study period of 1 year. After about 1 month of therapy, a progressive decrease of the seizure frequency was observed in two thirds of the patients. At the end of follow-up, seizures; were completely controlled in 18.75% of the patients; in 34.37% seizure frequency was reduced by more than 75%; in 15.62% of the subjects, a reduction of the seizure frequency superior to 50% was observed, while 25% of the population studied was unaffected by the treatment and 7.81 % worsened.

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