Rufinamide in patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome

Objectives: Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) is an epileptic encephalopathy with an onset at the age of similar to 4 years. LGS is notoriously difficult to manage, as most patients experience multiple seizures per day, despite their concomitant use of several antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). Rufinamide (BANZEL (R)) is an AED approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the adjunctive treatment of seizures associated with LGS in pediatric patients aged >= 1 year and in adults. The expert care of nurses knowledgeable in the treatment options for LGS is valuable to patients and caregivers. This review summarizes the existing knowledge on LGS and data from clinical and real-world studies on the use of rufinamide in patients with LGS. Methods: Recent review articles and information from the Epilepsy Foundation Website were reviewed for data on LGS treatment. Primary articles on rufinamide were also selected for review. Results and conclusion: The efficacy and safety of rufinamide have been evaluated in children and adults by using double-blind, open-label, and observational studies. In general, these studies indicate that rufinamide effectively reduces the frequency and severity of multiple seizure types associated with LGS and has tolerable side effects, the most common being vomiting and somnolence. Dosing modifications based on age, weight, and concomitant AED usage are recommended for patients using rufinamide.