There is no evidence for a difference in antiepileptic efficacy between phenobarbital and any other compared AED , yet no evidence for absolute efficacy .
No convincing evidence exists for an excess of behavioural adverse effects , over other AEDs , attributable to phenobarbital .
Masked studies of phenobarbital in childhood epilepsy have shown no significant differences in behavioural or cognitive adverse effects compared to other AEDs .
This is in contrast to the excess of such adverse effects reported in studies open to observer bias .
However , the one finding of reduction in cognitive ability associated with phenobarbital treatment for febrile convulsions remains a concern .
INTRODUCTION : Against a background of concern about the safety of new pharmaceutical products , there has been renewed interest in one of the oldest antiepileptic drugs ( AEDs ) , phenobarbital .
Although still in widespread use in developing countries , its popularity has slipped in Western countries over the past century , partly because of controversy about its adverse effect profile .
This critical review examines the evidence supporting its effectiveness and its associated behavioural adverse effects for febrile convulsions and childhood epilepsy .
Comparison of antiepileptic drugs on cognitive function in newly diagnosed epileptic children: a psychometric and neurophysiological study.
Using a r and omized parallel group study design , we compared the cognit i ve effects of carbamazepine ( CBZ ) , phenobarbital ( PB ) , and valproate ( VPA ) in children with epilepsy . Seventy-three children with newly diagnosed epilepsy were tested with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised ( WISC-R ) , Bender-Gestalt test , and auditory event-related potentials ( P 300 ) before and 6 and 12 months after antiepileptic drug ( AED ) treatment . There were no significant differences in WISC-R IQs and Bender-Gestalt scores for children in any group at any of the three sessions . P 300 latencies were increased in the children receiving PB but not in children receiving CBZ and VPA . P 300 amplitudes were significantly reduced in treated children in all three groups , but amplitudes were not significantly different among the three groups . These findings suggest that PB may affect cognitive function of epileptic children and that the P 300 may be a sensitive additional procedure that can be used to assess the cognitive effect of AEDs
There is no evidence for a difference in antiepileptic efficacy between phenobarbital and any other compared AED , yet no evidence for absolute efficacy .
No convincing evidence exists for an excess of behavioural adverse effects , over other AEDs , attributable to phenobarbital .
Masked studies of phenobarbital in childhood epilepsy have shown no significant differences in behavioural or cognitive adverse effects compared to other AEDs .
This is in contrast to the excess of such adverse effects reported in studies open to observer bias .
However , the one finding of reduction in cognitive ability associated with phenobarbital treatment for febrile convulsions remains a concern .
INTRODUCTION : Against a background of concern about the safety of new pharmaceutical products , there has been renewed interest in one of the oldest antiepileptic drugs ( AEDs ) , phenobarbital .
Although still in widespread use in developing countries , its popularity has slipped in Western countries over the past century , partly because of controversy about its adverse effect profile .
This critical review examines the evidence supporting its effectiveness and its associated behavioural adverse effects for febrile convulsions and childhood epilepsy .