Retention rates of rufinamide in pediatric epilepsy patients with and without Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome

作者：Kessler Sudha Kilaru^*; McCarthy Ann; Cnaan Avital; Dlugos Dennis J

来源：Epilepsy Research, 2015, 112: 18-26.

DOI：10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2015.02.003

• Antiepileptic drug
• Refractory epilepsy
• Effectiveness
• Efficacy
• Tolerability
• Retention rate

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of rufinamide (RFM) in patients with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS) compared to those with other epilepsy syndromes using time to treatment failure (retention rate) as the outcome measure.
Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, characteristics and outcomes of all patients receiving REM in 2009 and 2010 were recorded. The primary outcome measure was REM failure, defined as discontinuation of RFM or initiation of an additional antiepileptic therapy. The secondary outcome measure was discontinuation of RFM. Kaplan-Meier method survival curves were generated for time to REM failure, for all patients and by the presence or absence of Lennox Gastaut Syndrome (LGS). The impact of age, seizure type, fast or slow drug titration, and concomitant therapy with valproate on retention rate were evaluated using Cox regression models.
Results: One hundred thirty-three patients were included, 39 (30%) of whom had LGS. For all patients, the probability of remaining on REM without additional therapy was 45% at 12 months and 30% at 24 months. LGS diagnosis was an independent predictor of time to REM failure (HR 0.51, 95% CI 0.31-0.83), with a median time to failure of 18 months in LGS compared to 6 months in all others (p=0.006).
Conclusions: In a broad population of children with refractory epilepsy, around half will continue taking the medication for at least a year without additional therapy. Patients with LGS are two times more likely to continue RFM without additional therapy compared to those without LGS.

• 出版日期2015-5