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[Therapy of infantile spasms (West syndrome) with sodium dipropylacetate]

L Pavone, G Incorpora

    La Pediatria Medica E Chirurgica : Medical and Surgical Pediatrics
    |September 1, 1985
    PubMed

    Insights

    Sodium Dipropylacetic acid (DPK) effectively reduced infantile spasms in 40% of idiopathic cases and 11% of secondary cases. Long-term follow-up showed persistent seizures in some patients, with mental retardation noted in both groups.

    Area of Science:

    • Pediatric Neurology
    • Clinical Pharmacology

    Context:

    • Infantile spasms syndrome (ISS) is a severe epilepsy syndrome in infants.
    • Treatment options for ISS include anticonvulsants and hormonal therapy.

    Purpose:

    • To evaluate the efficacy and long-term outcomes of Sodium Dipropylacetic acid (DPK) in treating infantile spasms.
    • To compare treatment responses based on etiology (idiopathic vs. secondary ISS).

    Summary:

    • 42 patients with infantile spasms were treated with DPK, divided into idiopathic and secondary groups.
    • DPK showed varying efficacy: 40% seizure-free in idiopathic, 11.1% in secondary. Long-term follow-up revealed persistent seizures in 18.18% (idiopathic) and 28.57% (secondary).
    • Mental retardation was observed in 36.36% of idiopathic and 57.14% of secondary cases.

    Impact:

    • DPK demonstrates significant efficacy in managing infantile spasms, particularly in idiopathic cases.
    • The study highlights the importance of considering etiology for treatment strategies in infantile spasms.
    • Findings support the use of anticonvulsants as a first-line treatment for ISS, with hormonal therapy (ACTH) reserved for refractory cases.

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