Real-life data comparing the efficacy of vigabatrin and oral steroids given sequentially or combined for infantile epileptic spasms syndrome

Eur J Paediatr Neurol. 2023 Nov 27;48:61-66. doi: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2023.11.009. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTAIMS: The prognosis of Infantile epileptic spasm syndrome (IESS), relates to the underlying etiology and delay in controlling epileptic spasms. Based on the spasm-free rate, a randomized controlled trial has demonstrated the superiority of combining oral steroids and vigabatrin over oral steroids alone but confirmation in real-life conditions is mandatory.METHODS: We compared two real-life IESS cohorts: a multicenter, retrospective cohort of 40 infants treated with vigabatrin followed by a sequential (ST) addition of steroids, and a prospective, single-center cohort of 58 infants treated with an immediate combination of vigabatrin and steroids (CT).RESULTS: The two cohorts were similar. When the rate of spasm-free infants in the two cohorts was compared on day 14, a significant difference was observed between the ST (27,5 %) and CT cohorts (64 %) (p < 0.0004). This difference remained significant on day 30, with 55 % spasm-free patients in the ST cohort compared to 76 % in the CT cohort (p = 0.03). After the infants had received both vigabatrin and steroids, without taking into account the time point after treatment initiation, no significant difference was observed in the spasm-free rate between the two cohorts (p = 0.38).INTERPRETATION: Real-life data confirm the interest of combination therapy as a first-line treatment for IESS.PMID:38041897 | DOI:10.1016/j.ejpn.2...
Source: European Journal of Paediatric Neurology - Category: Neurology Authors: Source Type: research