Lamotrigine in treatment of therapy resistant epilepsies of childhood

Effects of lamotrigine as add-on medication in treatment of severe epilepsies in 47 children and young adults are reported with special respect to the underlying epileptic syndrome. LMT had to be withdrawn in 6 patients because of skin rash and in one because of vomiting. 13 patients improved with a more than 50% reduction of seizure frequency, six of these became seizure free. Lamotrigine was helpful especially in patients with typical absence seizures and other primary generalized epileptic syndromes. LMT was ineffective in treatment of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and epileptic syndromes with seizures of focal origin. Conclusion: although LMT is licensed for treatment of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and focal epilepsies we saw better effects in treatment of primary generalised epileptic syndromes.