The optimum treatment for LGS remains uncertain and no study to date has shown any one drug to be highly efficacious; rufinamide, lamotrigine, topiramate and felbamate may be helpful as add-on therapy, clobazam may be helpful for drop seizures. Until further research has been undertaken, clinicians will need to continue to consider each patient individually, taking into account the potential benefit of each therapy weighed against the risk of adverse effects.
Rufinamide for generalized seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.
Lennox-Gastaut syndrome is a catastrophic pediatric epilepsy syndrome characterized by multiple types of treatment-resistant seizures and high rates of seizure-related injury. Current available treatments are inadequate, leaving patients with few treatment options and opportunities.
                We conducted a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of the antiepileptic drug rufinamide in patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Eligible patients between 4 and 30 years of age had multiple types of seizures (including tonic-atonic and atypical absence seizures) with a minimum of 90 seizures in the month before baseline and a recent history of a slow spike-and-wave pattern on EEG.
                After a 28-day baseline period, 139 eligible patients were randomized; 138 patients received either rufinamide (n = 74) or placebo (n = 64) in addition to their other antiepileptic drugs. The median percentage reduction in total seizure frequency was greater in the rufinamide therapy group than in the placebo group (32.7% vs 11.7%, p = 0.0015). There was a difference (p < 0.0001) in tonic-atonic ("drop attack") seizure frequency with rufinamide (42.5% median percentage reduction) vs placebo (1.4% increase). The rufinamide group had a greater improvement in seizure severity (p = 0.0041) and a higher 50% responder rate compared with placebo for total seizures (p = 0.0045) and tonic-atonic seizures (p = 0.002). The common adverse events (reported by >or=10% of patients receiving rufinamide) were somnolence (24.3% with rufinamide vs 12.5% with placebo) and vomiting (21.6% vs 6.3%).
                Rufinamide was an effective and well-tolerated treatment for seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.