[Administration of high doses of B6 in age-related epileptic encephalopathies]

The authors present an account on 14 patients with markedly pharmaco-resistant age-conditioned epileptic encephalopathies (4 x West's syndrome, 5 x Lennox-Gastaut's syndrome and 5 x an intermediate stage of the two), treated with large doses of vitamin B6 (Pyridoxin Spofa). The mean age at the onset of therapy was 2.5 years (0.5-6 years). In addition to hitherto unsuccessful medication, the patients were given at first five-day treatment of vitamin B6 50-100 mg/day by the i.m. route, and then 200-300 mg/day orally. A marked clinical effect was recorded in five children, in another five it was less marked and usually only transient. Only in four patients the seizures were not affected, incl. three times in Lennox-Gastaut's syndrome. The EEG changes correlated with the clinical course. The authors recommend to attempt early administration of large doses of vitamin B6 in refractory age-conditioned epilepsies in the first three years of life.