The possibility of early anticonvulsant withdrawal in adult patients with good predictors of seizure relapse

J Korean Neurol Assoc > Volume 15(5); 1997 > Article

Journal of the Korean Neurological Association 1997;15(5): 980-989.

성인간질 환자에서 예측인자에 따른 항경련제의 조기 종료의 가능성에 대하여

방오영, 곽용태, 박수철, 이병인

연세대학교 의대 신경과

The possibility of early anticonvulsant withdrawal in adult patients with good predictors of seizure relapse

Oh Young Bang, M.D., Yong Tae Kwak, M.D. , Soo Chul Park, M.D. , Byung in Lee, M.D.

Dept of Neurology, Yonsei University, College of Medicine

Abstract

Despite may studies of withdrawal of anitepileptic drugs our knowledge of the factor which influence the risk of seizure relapse is poor. So many people with a history of epilepsy continue to take antiepileptic drugs despite of long period of remission. To define prognostic factors and evaluate the possibility of early withdrawl in patients with good prognostic factor, we retrospectively studied the factors influencing their risk of seizure relapse with 66 adult epilepsy patients. Thirty-two of 66 patients remained free from seizure at least for 6 months. Among the rest(34 patients, relapse rate 52 %), 19 patients had recurrence of seizure during the period of tapering drugs, and 15 patients after withdrawI. The recurrence of seizure decreased with younger age of onset(esp, before 15 years old), shorter duration of seizures(esp, less than 5 years) and adequate periods of taping before anticonvulsant withdrawl. It increased with the abnormal neurologic findings. However, it showed no relation with the period free from seizure on anticonvulsant administration. So in patients with such good prognostic factors, the trial of early withdrawal(with short seizure free period) might be worth according to circumstances.