Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 25, 2026
09:57
Author Spotlight: Advancing Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery in Children Through Novel Biomarkers and Enhanced Localization
Published on: September 20, 2024
3.8K
Rufinamide in children and adults in routine clinical practice
S Jaraba1,2, E Santamarina3, J Miró1
1Epilepsy Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
Acta Neurologica Scandinavica
|March 1, 2016
Summary
Rufinamide effectively reduced seizure frequency in patients with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS) and other refractory epilepsies. While generally well-tolerated, some patients discontinued treatment due to lack of effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Clinical Pharmacology
- Epileptology
Background:
- Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS) and other epileptic encephalopathies are severe forms of epilepsy.
- Intractable focal epilepsies present significant treatment challenges.
- Long-term effectiveness data for rufinamide in real-world clinical practice are limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the long-term effectiveness and tolerability of rufinamide.
- To assess rufinamide's efficacy in managing LGS, other epileptic encephalopathies, and intractable focal epilepsies.
- To analyze seizure frequency reduction and side effects in adult and pediatric patients.
Main Methods:
- Multicentre, retrospective chart review.
- Involved seven Spanish epilepsy centers.
- Assessed patients at 6 and 12 months post-initiation of adjunctive rufinamide.
Main Results:
- 58 patients (7-57 years) with LGS, epileptic encephalopathies, or focal epilepsies were included.
- Rufinamide significantly reduced generalized tonic-clonic, tonic/atonic, and focal seizures.
- Common side effects included nausea, vomiting, and weight loss; 43.1% discontinued treatment, primarily due to lack of effectiveness.
Conclusions:
- Rufinamide demonstrated effectiveness in reducing seizure frequency in severe refractory epilepsies.
- The drug was generally well-tolerated in both children and adults.
- Rufinamide is a viable treatment option for LGS and other refractory epilepsy types.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion
369
In pediatric medicine, understanding the renal function and drug elimination nuances is crucial for administering safe and effective treatments. Newborns, in particular, display markedly slower renal functions than adults, profoundly affecting how drugs are cleared from their bodies. This slower drug clearance requires clinicians to extend the dosing intervals for many medications to prevent drug accumulation and toxicity while ensuring therapeutic efficacy.One key area where these adjustments...
369
01:29Drug Dosing: Infants and Children
726
Pediatric patient dosages diverge from adults due to disparities in body surface area, total body water, and extracellular fluid per kilogram of body weight. The dosing regimen considers the variations in pharmacokinetics and pharmacology across distinct age groups, encompassing preterm newborns, infants, young children, older children, and adolescents. Calculation of pediatric patient doses is predicated on determining body surface area, which exhibits a superior correlation with the child's...
726
01:20Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators
937
Ezocgabine or retigabine, an antiepileptic drug of remarkable efficacy, has revolutionized the management of seizures. It is a potassium channel activator, explicitly targeting the family of Q subtype potassium channels. It enhances the transmembrane potassium currents, regulating neuronal excitability. This action stabilizes the resting membrane potential, a pivotal factor in mitigating the hyperexcitability that characterizes epilepsy.
Ezogabine has gained approval as an adjunctive treatment...
Ezogabine has gained approval as an adjunctive treatment...
937
01:24Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism
327
In pediatric care, understanding the nuances of hepatic drug metabolism is crucial, as it significantly differs from that of adults. This divergence is primarily due to the developmental stage of drug-metabolizing enzymes, which affects how medications are processed in the body. In neonates, for instance, the activity of Phase I enzymes—critical for the initial breakdown of drugs—is markedly reduced, functioning at just 20–40% of the levels seen in adults. This reduction poses...
327
01:17Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution
458
Drug distribution in the pediatric population exhibits unique challenges and considerations due to the physiological differences between children, particularly neonates and infants, and adults. A crucial aspect of pediatric pharmacology is understanding how these differences impact the pharmacokinetics of various drugs, necessitating age-specific dosing strategies to ensure efficacy and safety.Neonates and infants have a higher total body water content, ~75%–90% of their body weight,...
458
01:23Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption
693
Understanding the physiological differences in the pediatric population is crucial for effective pharmacotherapy. Neonates, infants, and children exhibit significant variations in gastric pH, gastric emptying time, intestinal transit time, and biliary function. These variations profoundly affect oral drug absorption, necessitating a nuanced approach to pediatric dosing.Neonates present with a unique physiological profile, having a gastric pH greater than 4 and faster and more irregular gastric...
693