Abstracts

Oxcarbazepine is a new antiepileptic drug that has been approved as adjunctive therapy for the treatment of partial epilepsies in patients older than 4 years. There is scant data in the use of oxcarbazepine in children younger than 4 years. This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of oxcarbazepine in children with various epilepsy syndromes below 4 years of age. Retrospective review of charts at our institution from 2001-2004 identified 17 children below 4 years with epilepsy who were started on oxcarbazepine. Seizure count and side effects were maintained during therapy. There were 17 children (11 males, 6 females); ages 18 [ndash] 55 months (mean 45 months). Eight patients were [lt] 2 years old when oxcarbazepine therapy was initiated. Duration of treatment ranged between 6 [ndash] 18 months (mean 10.2 months). Types of epilepsy were partial onset in 12 (70.5%), symptomatic generalized in 3 (17.6%), and other in 2 (11.7%). Dose ranged between 14 [ndash] 71 mg/kg/day (mean 38.9 mg/kg/day). Forty-seven percent (8/17) achieved [gt]50% seizure reduction, of which 5 patients (29.4%) became seizure free on treatment. Among the patients [lt] 2 years, 5/8 (62.5%) achieved complete seizure freedom. None of the patients experienced side effects. In 12 patients, oxcarbazepine was used in monotherapy; it was used as added-on in the other 5. In 8/12 patients, oxcarbazepine was initiated as first line of therapy. The other 4/12 patients were switched from carbamazepine to oxcarbazepine (due to either side effects of carbamazepine (2/4) or poor seizure control (2/4). One of these children became seizure free after switching to oxcarbazepine. Oxcarbazepine proved to be effective and well tolerated as monotherapy and adjunctive therapy in children younger than 4 years of age. (Supported by an investigator initiated research grant given to Dr Kothare by Novartis.)