ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Infantile spasms are considered an age-specific and malignant epilepsy. It is not controlled easily by general anticonvulsants. Therefore, this study aimed to assess vigabatrin(VGT) efficacy in infantile spasms. METHODS: From January 1992 to December 1995, 35 children with infantile spasms, who were diagnosed at Kyung Hee University Hospital and treated vigabatrin, were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: The ratio of male to female was 1.7 : 1.2. Mean age at onset of infantile spasms was 7.6+/-3.4 months old and mean duration from onset of the disease to the beginning of the treatment was 2.4 months. Mean duration of vigabatrin treatment was 24.2 months. The most common type of infantile spasms was the flexion type with 26 cases(74.3%). Cryptogenic group had 13 cases and symptomatic group 22 cases. The most common causes were tuberous sclerosis, agyria-pachygyria, brain atrophy and hygroma(each are 4 cases). Among vigabatrin monotherapy(15 cases), complete cessation of seizure were 2 cases and 99-75% seizure reduction was 6 cases and among vigabatrin add-on therapy(20 cases), complete cessation was 4 cases and 99-75% seizure reduction was 6 cases. The most common combined anticonvulsant used was prednisolone. CONCLUSION: The effectiveness of vigabatrin in infantile spasms was good due to more than 75% reduction in seizure frequency in 51.4% of cases. Vigabatrin should be used in refractory infantile spasms.