Effects of zonisamide monotherapy in children with epilepsy

Abstract

This study examined the efficacy and safety of zonisamide as monotherapy in pediatric patients with epilepsy. Seventy-seven children with epilepsy (ages 8 months-15 years) were treated with zonisamide. Nine patients were withdrawn early because of side effects; these patients were included in side effect but not efficacy analyses. Zonisamide dosages were initiated at approximately 2 mg/kg per day and adjusted for each patient individually to a maximum of 12 mg/kg per day. Among 44 patients with cryptogenic/symptomatic partial epilepsy, 36 (82%) became seizure free; 4 (9%) had a > or =50% reduction in seizure frequency; and 4 (9%) had no change in seizures with zonisamide treatment. Of 11 patients with cryptogenic/symptomatic generalized epilepsy, 10 (91%) became seizure free, and 1 experienced no change with zonisamide treatment. Similarly, 4 patients (100%) with idiopathic partial epilepsy, and 8 of 9 patients (89%) with idiopathic generalized epilepsy became seizure free with zonisamide treatment; in the last group, 1 experienced no change. Thirty patients (39%) reported side effects, including somnolence (11.7%), decreased spontaneity (7.8%), anorexia (6.5%), and rash (6.5%). Thus, zonisamide is effective for partial seizures with or without secondarily generalized seizures in children and should be considered a broad-spectrum antiepilepsy agent.

Zonisamide in children and young adults with refractory epilepsy: An open label, multicenter Italian study

“…Information from other countries concerning its use in pediatric patients is still somewhat limited. There are, however, a growing number of studies reporting the clinical efficacy of ZNS, both as add-on therapy (Kim et al, 2005;Mandelbaum et al, 2005;Santos and Brotherton, 2005;Ohtahara, 2006;Kluger et al, 2008) and as monotherapy (Miura, 2004;Seki et al, 2004;Kim et al, 2005;Kothare et al, 2006) in pediatric generalised and partial seizures.…”

Zonisamide (Zonegran) in the Treatment of Epilepsy in Adults and Children (A Review and Clinical Case)

“…Seki et al (2004) изучали эффективность и без-опасность зонисамида в монотерапии у 77 детей с эпилепсией (от 8 месяцев до 15 лет). У 9 детей зони-самид был отменен из-за нежелательных явлений; эти пациенты были включены в анализ безопасности, но не в анализ эффективности.…”

“…У 30 (39 %) пациентов возникли нежелательные явления, вклю-чая сонливость (11,7 %), анорексию (6,5 %) и сыпь (6,5 %). Исследование показало, что зонисамид эф-фективен при разных типах эпилептических присту-пов и синдромов у детей [84].…”

“…В исследовании T. Seki et al (2004) кожная сыпь при приеме зонисамида зарегистрирова-на у 6,5 % из 77 детей с эпилепсией [84].…”

“…Seki et al (2004) изучали эффективность и без-опасность зонисамида в монотерапии у 77 детей с эпи-лепсией (от 8 месяцев до 15 лет). У 30 (39 %) пациентов возникли побочные эффекты, включая сонливость (11,7 %), анорексию (6,5 %) и кожную сыпь (6,5 %) [84]. У 9 детей зонисамид был отменен из-за нежела-тельных явлений.…”