Skip to main content
Journal cover image

Efficacy of felbamate in therapy for partial epilepsy in children.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Carmant, L; Holmes, GL; Sawyer, S; Rifai, N; Anderson, J; Mikati, MA
Published in: J Pediatr
September 1994

Thirty children (2 to 17 years of age) with refractory partial seizures received open-label felbamate as an add-on medication to their background antiepileptic drugs. The dose was increased up to a maximum of 45 mg/kg. Compared with baseline seizure activity, there was a 53% decrease in seizure frequency during felbamate therapy; 50% of the patients had more than a 50% decrease in seizure frequency. Patients older than 10 years of age were more likely to have a favorable response. Age correlated positively with felbamate concentrations and negatively with apparent felbamate clearance. Transient weight loss occurred in 57% of the patients; the weight loss was maximal after 12 weeks of initiation of felbamate, and subsided after the twentieth week of treatment. Anorexia and insomnia were reported in 20% and 16% of the patients, respectively. Adverse effects were generally tolerable; felbamate therapy was discontinued because of side effects in only one patient, because of a rash. We conclude that felbamate can be a useful and well-tolerated medication in the treatment of refractory partial epilepsy in children. However, increased apparent clearance of this drug in younger children should be considered in treatment of this age group.

Duke Scholars

Published In

J Pediatr

DOI

ISSN

0022-3476

Publication Date

September 1994

Volume

125

Issue

3

Start / End Page

481 / 486

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Weight Loss
  • Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
  • Safety
  • Propylene Glycols
  • Phenylcarbamates
  • Pediatrics
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Female
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Carmant, L., Holmes, G. L., Sawyer, S., Rifai, N., Anderson, J., & Mikati, M. A. (1994). Efficacy of felbamate in therapy for partial epilepsy in children. J Pediatr, 125(3), 481–486. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0022-3476(05)83302-5
Carmant, L., G. L. Holmes, S. Sawyer, N. Rifai, J. Anderson, and M. A. Mikati. “Efficacy of felbamate in therapy for partial epilepsy in children.J Pediatr 125, no. 3 (September 1994): 481–86. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0022-3476(05)83302-5.
Carmant L, Holmes GL, Sawyer S, Rifai N, Anderson J, Mikati MA. Efficacy of felbamate in therapy for partial epilepsy in children. J Pediatr. 1994 Sep;125(3):481–6.
Carmant, L., et al. “Efficacy of felbamate in therapy for partial epilepsy in children.J Pediatr, vol. 125, no. 3, Sept. 1994, pp. 481–86. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/s0022-3476(05)83302-5.
Carmant L, Holmes GL, Sawyer S, Rifai N, Anderson J, Mikati MA. Efficacy of felbamate in therapy for partial epilepsy in children. J Pediatr. 1994 Sep;125(3):481–486.
Journal cover image

Published In

J Pediatr

DOI

ISSN

0022-3476

Publication Date

September 1994

Volume

125

Issue

3

Start / End Page

481 / 486

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Weight Loss
  • Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
  • Safety
  • Propylene Glycols
  • Phenylcarbamates
  • Pediatrics
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Female