The use of sulthiame- in myoclonic epilepsy of childhood and adolescence.
Sulthiame has been used by most investigators in psychomotor seizures, other focal seizures and grand-mal, usually in conjuction with other anticonvulsants. Reports on its use in myoclonic epilepsy and as a sole anti-convulsant are few and inconclusive. The present report presents the results of a study carried out on the use of sulthiame in 54 cases of myoclonic epilepsies originating in infancy, childhood and adolescence. The different types of myoclonic epilepsy are defined. An illustrative case report is included. Results indicated that sulthiame is the drug of choice, often as the sole anti-convulsive agent, in cases of "juvenile myoclonic epilepsy". In the myoclonic encephalopathies of childhood (the so-called "minor motor epilepsy" or Lennox-Gastaut syndrome), which are notoriously refractory to therapy, sulthiame appears to be an efficacious adjunct to currently-used agents, including benzodiazepines, succinimides, dipropyl acetate, steriods and a ketogenic diet.