A randomized trial on the treatment of the first epileptic seizure. Scientific background, rationale, study design...

Observational studies suggest that the sooner treatment is started after the onset of seizures the better is the outcome of the disease. However, when to start antiepileptic treatment is still debated and this may explain the different behaviour of practising physicians. For these reasons, a multicenter randomized controlled trial comparing the treatment of the first seizure and the treatment of the recurrences (the two most common strategies in clinical practice) has been started in Italy. The scientific background, the study rationale and design, and the general characteristics of the study population (498 patients) are presented here.