The analysis of failure cause of valproate monotherapy for newly diagnosed generalizedepilepsy in children / 中国神经精神疾病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objectives To investigate the failure cause of valproate monotherapy for newly diagnosed generalized epilepsy in children and to investigate the factors related to the failure. Methods The newly diagnosed cases of general?ized epilepsy were recruited and given valproate monotherpy. After 2 years of treatment and regular follow-up, they were divided into control group and poor effect group.according to their response to the treatment. The clinic data and electro?encephalogram were collected. The reasons of treatment failure were studied using Logistic regression analysis. Results There were 231 patients who had completed this study in all. After 2 years, 62 cases had switched to other drugs because of poor efficacy. Efficacy of was satisfactory in 169 cases of children. There were 3 cases of poor compliance, and one case switched to other drug due to side effect. There were statistically significant (P<0.05) in the abnormal electroenceph?alogram (EEG) rate (poor effects group 90.32%vs. control group 61.54%), abnormal cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) rate (poor effects group 45.16%vs. control grou p23.08%) and the first age of onset [poor effects group 0.50(0.42, 2.50)year vs. control group 0.75(1.50, 5.16)year] between the good effects group and poor effects group. Univariate anal?ysis showed that mental retardation,birth asphyxia,abnormal bain MRI,the first episode of age were statistically signifi? cant different between these two groups (P<0.05). Further multivariate regression analysis showed that the low first onset age (OR=2.124 P=0.004)、mentalretardation (OR=10.535,P=0.000, abnormal brain MRI(OR=1.603,P=0.020), asphyxia at birth(OR=1.913 P=0.027)were independent risk factors for the poor efficacy of valproate. Conclusions The main rea?sons for the failure of valproate monotherpy in children with generalizedepilepsy are poor efficacy,bad compliance, ad?verse reactions. The risk factors of poor efficacy are the low first onset age, mental retardation, abnormal brain MRI and asphyxia at birth etc.