Epilepsy & behavior : E&B
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Epilepsy & behavior : E&B · Aug 2008
Efficacy and tolerability of pregabalin in patients with difficult-to-treat epilepsy and intellectual disability.
In a retrospective evaluation of 32 inpatients with therapy-resistant epilepsy and intellectual disability, the efficacy of pregabalin (PGB) treatment was assessed after 6 and 12 months. The combined efficacy measure included the percentage reduction in seizure frequency, as well as the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scale. Tolerability was assessed using a list of the 10 adverse effects most frequently observed in the regulatory studies and also by the CGI scale. ⋯ After 12 months, the retention rate was 40.6%, the responder rate was 25%, and one patient was seizure free. Statistical analysis did not identify any predictor of outcome (seizure type, epilepsy syndrome, co-medication, degree of intellectual disability). In this highly selected population, the efficacy of PGB was only moderate.
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Epilepsy & behavior : E&B · Jul 2008
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialAcceptance and Commitment Therapy and yoga for drug-refractory epilepsy: a randomized controlled trial.
There is a need for controlled outcome studies on behavioral treatment of epilepsy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and yoga in the treatment of epilepsy. ⋯ The results of this study suggest that complementary treatments, such as ACT and yoga, decrease seizure index and increase quality of life.
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Epilepsy & behavior : E&B · Apr 2008
Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical TrialIntravenous levetiracetam: treatment experience with the first 50 critically ill patients.
Levetiracetam (LEV) is a broad-spectrum antiepileptic drug with no known interactions and a favorable profile of adverse events. These properties make it a good candidate for use in critically ill patients. An intravenous formulation of LEV was recently approved. ⋯ Two patients (4%) had transiently lowered platelet counts (55,000 and 82,000, respectively). Efficacy, defined as cessation of seizure activity or prevention of its recurrence, was observed in 41 of 50 patients (82%). Antiepileptic treatment of critically ill patients with LEV seems to be effective and safe according to the data for this small cohort, but this observation warrants further prospective investigation in a larger number of patients.
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Epilepsy & behavior : E&B · Apr 2008
Comparative StudyHealth-related quality of life of children with epilepsy in Hong Kong: how does it compare with that of youth with epilepsy in Canada?
The primary aim of our study was to compare the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of children with epilepsy in Hong Kong with that of children with epilepsy in Canada, and to explore possible factors affecting these findings. A second interest was to determine agreement between proxy reports and self-ratings among children with epilepsy in Hong Kong, compare these with findings in Canada, and identify factors that influence the concordance. ⋯ Youth with epilepsy in Hong Kong and their parents reported poorer quality of life than children with epilepsy in Canada. Further studies are necessary to identify the determinants of HRQL in children with epilepsy in different cultures. Acceptable agreement between the two ratings suggests that proxy reports can be used when child self-reports cannot be obtained.