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γ‐Vinyl GABA (Vigabatrin) in Epilepsy: Clinical, Neurochemical, and Neurophysiologic Monitoring in Epileptic Patients
Author(s) -
Ylinen A.,
Sivenius J.,
Pitkänen A.,
Halonen T.,
Partanen J.,
Mervaala E.,
Mumford J. P.,
Riekkinen P. J.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
epilepsia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.687
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1528-1167
pISSN - 0013-9580
DOI - 10.1111/j.1528-1157.1992.tb02201.x
Subject(s) - vigabatrin , neurochemical , epilepsy , anesthesia , carbamazepine , anticonvulsant , psychology , medicine , neuroscience
Summary: We report long‐term clinical, neurochemical, and electrophysiologic data of γ‐vinyl GABA (GVG, vigabatrin) in three groups of patients. GVG was started as add‐on therapy for 75 patients with refractory complex partial seizures (group A) and for 36 mentally handicapped patients with severe epilepsy (group B). The third group (C) consisted of 20 patients with carbamazepine (CBZ) monotherapy, in half of whom GVG monotherapy was substituted. After 3 months, 55% of patients in group A and 42% in group B were responders (reduction in seizure frequency >50%). After 6 (group A) and 3 years (group B) of follow‐up, 27 and 33% of the patients, respectively, still had good response to GVG. Neurochemical measurements showed a twofold increase in CSF GABA concentrations and minimal or no changes in other neurotransmitter‐related parameters. In group C, substitution of GVG as medication tended to normalize the lengthened latencies in somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) observed during CBZ treatment.