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A controlled study of prednisone therapy in infantile spasms

R A Hrachovy, J D Frost, P Kellaway

    Epilepsia
    |August 1, 1979
    PubMed

    Insights

    Prednisone treatment showed limited effectiveness for infantile spasms in a small controlled study. Only 25% of patients experienced significant seizure reduction and EEG normalization, indicating a need for further research.

    Area of Science:

    • Pediatric Neurology
    • Clinical Pharmacology

    Background:

    • Infantile spasms are a severe epilepsy syndrome in infants.
    • Current treatments for infantile spasms have variable efficacy and potential side effects.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To evaluate the effectiveness of prednisone in treating infantile spasms.
    • To assess seizure frequency and electroencephalogram (EEG) changes in response to prednisone.

    Main Methods:

    • A controlled study involving 12 pediatric patients diagnosed with infantile spasms.
    • Serial monitoring using a time-synchronized polygraphic and video system.
    • Assessment of seizure frequency and EEG patterns before and after prednisone treatment.

    Main Results:

    • Three out of 12 patients (25%) demonstrated a rapid decrease in seizure frequency.
    • EEG normalization was observed in 25% of the patients following prednisone treatment.
    • The majority of patients (75%) did not show significant improvement in seizure activity or EEG findings.

    Conclusions:

    • Prednisone treatment appears to be effective in a minority of patients with infantile spasms.
    • The response to prednisone for infantile spasms is highly variable.
    • Further investigation is warranted to identify predictors of response and alternative therapeutic strategies.

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