Efficacy assessment of sodium valproate in treating 607 patients with epilepsy in rural China / 中华神经科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the efficacy and the side-effects of sodium valproate (VPA) in patients with epilepsy in rural China. Methods Epilepsy patients were selected from rural areas of Tianmen in Hubei province and Tiandong county in Guangxi province according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria.Efficacy evaluation standard depending on the change of seizure frequency compared with the situation prior to entering the treatment group. Among the treated patients, no seizures, seizure reduced ＞ 75%, seizure reduced 50%-75% sums for the total effective rate. Results All 607 patients with epilepsy were treated and followed up, the male were 395 (65. 1% ) female 212 (34. 9% ), and 579 patients were treated for 12 months. Patients with generalized tonic-clonic seizures were 517 (85.2%), absence seizures 20 (3. 3% )and the other types of seizures 70 (11.5% ) including simple partial seizures, tonic, clonic, myoclonic or atonic seizures etc. The completed control of seizures ( without any seizures) during the period after taking 3 months, 6 months, 12 months were 270 (45.5%), 249 (42. 3% ) and 238 (41.1%) respectively. The total effective rates in the three periods were 65.2% , 75.4% and 85.5% respectively. The 58 patients in the total group showed side-effects during the follow-up period, mainly including drowsiness, lethargy,fatigue, dizziness, headache and tremor. Nineteen patients (3. 1% ) quitted the treatment group.Conclusions The VPA is an effective antiepileptic drug and no more severe side-effects. It is the same as Phenobarbital and suitable to be used in rural areas of China.