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Prevention of febrile convulsions with dipropylacetate (Depakine)
1Clinica Pediatrica dell'Universita di Modena, 41100 Modena, Italy.
Insights
Dipropylacetate, phenobarbital, and primidone effectively prevent recurrent febrile seizures in children. These medications showed similar efficacy with no observed side effects, unlike untreated children who experienced frequent seizures.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Clinical Pharmacology
Background:
- Febrile seizures are common in children.
- Preventing recurrence is crucial to avoid potential neurological complications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of dipropylacetate in preventing recurrent febrile convulsions.
- To compare dipropylacetate with phenobarbital and primidone for seizure prevention.
Main Methods:
- A 1-year follow-up study involving 47 children after their first simple febrile convulsion.
- Children were treated with dipropylacetate (20 mg/kg), phenobarbital (5 mg/kg), or primidone (25 mg/kg) in divided doses.
- A control group of 47 untreated children was also monitored.
Main Results:
- Dipropylacetate demonstrated comparable efficacy to phenobarbital and primidone in preventing new febrile convulsions (4% recurrence for each medication).
- No side effects were reported with dipropylacetate treatment.
- In contrast, 55% of untreated children experienced 1 to 4 new febrile convulsions within the year.
Conclusions:
- Dipropylacetate is an effective and safe option for preventing recurrent febrile seizures in children.
- Pharmacological intervention significantly reduces the risk of repeat febrile convulsions compared to no treatment.
Abstract:
In 47 children followed for 1 year after the first "simple" febrile convulsion, dipropylacetate (Depakine, 20 mg/kg) was as effective in preventing new febrile convulsions (a single recurrence in 4% of 47 children) as was phenobarbital (5 mg/kg) or primidone (25 mg/kg) (a single recurrence in 4% of 47 children), and there were no side effects. Of 47 untreated children followed for 1 year, 55% had 1 to 4 new febrile convulsions. All medications were given in divided doses morning and evening.