Antiepileptic drug treatment of rolandic epilepsy and Panayiotopoulos syndrome: clinical practice survey and clinical trial feasibility

Background The evidence base for management of childhood epilepsy is poor, especially for the most common specific syndromes such as rolandic epilepsy (RE) and Panayiotopoulos syndrome (PS). Considerable international variation in management and controversy about non-treatment indicate the need for...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Archives of disease in childhood Vol. 100; no. 1; pp. 62 - 67
Main Authors:	Mellish, Louise C, Dunkley, Colin, Ferrie, Colin D, Pal, Deb K
Format:	Journal Article Book Review
Language:	English
Published:	England BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 01-01-2015 BMJ Publishing Group LTD BMJ Publishing Group
Subjects:	Analysis Anticonvulsants Anticonvulsants - therapeutic use Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Audits Care and treatment Clinical medicine Clinical trials Comorbidity Data Collection Diagnosis Drug Therapy Electroencephalography Epilepsy Epilepsy, Rolandic - drug therapy Evidence Guidelines Humans Language Impairments Likert Scales Narcotics Neuropsychology Patients Practice Patterns, Physicians' - statistics & numerical data Preferences Reading Difficulties Response rates Review Seizures Seizures - drug therapy Sleep Substance abuse treatment United Kingdom Young Adults United Kingdom United Kingdom > UK Neurology Paediatric Practice
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Summary:	Background The evidence base for management of childhood epilepsy is poor, especially for the most common specific syndromes such as rolandic epilepsy (RE) and Panayiotopoulos syndrome (PS). Considerable international variation in management and controversy about non-treatment indicate the need for high quality randomised controlled trials (RCT). The aim of this study is, therefore, to describe current UK practice and explore the feasibility of different RCT designs for RE and PS. Methods We conducted an online survey of 590 UK paediatricians who treat epilepsy. Thirty-two questions covered annual caseload, investigation and management practice, factors influencing treatment, antiepileptic drug preferences and hypothetical trial design preferences. Results 132 responded (22%): 81% were paediatricians and 95% at consultant seniority. We estimated, annually, 751 new RE cases and 233 PS cases. Electroencephalography (EEG) is requested at least half the time in approximately 70% of cases; MRI brain at least half the time in 40%–65% cases and neuropsychological evaluation in 7%–8%. Clinicians reported non-treatment in 40%: main reasons were low frequency of seizures and parent/child preferences. Carbamazepine is the preferred older, and levetiracetam the preferred newer, RCT arm. Approximately one-half considered active and placebo designs acceptable, choosing seizures as primary and cognitive/behavioural measures as secondary outcomes. Conclusions Management among respondents is broadly in line with national guidance, although with possible overuse of brain imaging and underuse of EEG and neuropsychological assessments. A large proportion of patients in the UK remains untreated, and clinicians seem amenable to a range of RCT designs, with carbamazepine and levetiracetam the preferred active drugs.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-2 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-3 content type line 23 ObjectType-Review-1 ObjectType-Article-1 ObjectType-Feature-2
ISSN:	0003-9888 1468-2044
DOI:	10.1136/archdischild-2013-304211