Abstracts

The choice of drugs for the management of newly diagnosed epilepsy is based in evidence, that takes into account efficacy and safety. Comparisons between medications for specific syndromes or age-groups have not been carried out. We conducted a survey on the management of epilepsy among Canadian epileptologists., We mailed a questionnaire on the treatment of different epilepsy syndromes, to all epileptologists in Canada. Adult and pediatric epileptologists were identified from the Canadian League Against Epilepsy and the Canadian Congress of Neurological Sciences membership lists. Patient-scenarios were grouped into 13 categories according to epilepsy syndrome (absence epilepsy, juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, undetermined idiopathic generalized epilepsy, symptomatic or cryptogenic focal epilepsy, and unclassified epilepsy), and to patient[apos]s gender and age group. Physicians were asked to rate treatment options based on a 5-point scale ([ldquo]1[rdquo]=most appropriate to [ldquo]5[rdquo]=harmful). The responses were anonymously collected., Forty-one out of 64 Canadian epileptologists returned the survey. The results suggest a consensus among Canadian epileptologists: Valproate is the drug of choice for generalized epilepsies in the adult (p[lt]0.05) and elderly population, while lamotrigine is the choice in women of childbearing age (p[lt]0.05). For the treatment of the focal epilepsies, carbamazepine is the choice (p[lt]0.05) for all ages and groups. In undetermined epilepsy, carbamazepine and valproate are the choice for adults; carbamazepine, clobazam, and lamotrigine for the elderly; and lamotrigine and carbamazepine for women of childbearing age., The choices of antiepileptic drugs among Canadian epileptologists is similar, with some minor exceptions, with the choices of their American and French counterparts.,