Abstracts

Rationale: Rufinamide is a new antiepileptic agent that differs structurally from other antiepileptic drugs and is approved as adjunctive therapy for Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS). It presumably provides its antiseizure activity by prolonging sodium channel inactivity, stabilizing cell membranes. It is absorbed and metabolized extensively, then excreted renally as an inactive metabolite. Clinical trials show that adjunctive rufinamide is effective at reducing seizure frequency in patients with LGS and refractory partial seizures. We evaluate the effects on seizures in 5 patients with lennox Gastaut syndrome secondary to neuronal migration disorders. Methods: Materials and methods - In total, 5 patients (aged 4-17 years)with LGS and associate neuronal migration disorders ( 2 lissencephaly, 1 polymicrogyria, 1 bilateral periventricular nodular heterotopia, 1 tuberous sclerosis), receiving 1-3 concomitant antiepileptic drugs, were treated with rufinamide approximately 15-30 mg/kg/day. Efficacy was assessed by seizure frequency; tolerability by adverse events (AEs) and laboratory tests. Results: Results All the patients showed reductions in seizure frequency throughout the study; during the last 6 months of treatment, 5/5 of patients had >/=50% reduction in total and tonic-atonic seizure frequency, respectively. No side effeccts were noticed. Conclusions: Data show that rufinamide is safe and effective as an adjunctive agent for LGS secondary to neuronal migration disorders. The benefits of rufinamide include its pharmacokinetics, limited drug interactions, and lack of side effects.