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Can ACTH therapy improve the long‐term outcome of drug‐resistant frontal lobe epilepsy?
Author(s) -
Gobbi Giuseppe,
Loiacono Giulia,
Boni Antonella,
Marangio Lucia,
Verrotti Alberto
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
epileptic disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.673
H-Index - 53
eISSN - 1950-6945
pISSN - 1294-9361
DOI - 10.1684/epd.2014.0656
Subject(s) - epilepsy , adrenocorticotropic hormone , frontal lobe , medicine , temporal lobe , electroencephalography , surgery , anesthesia , psychology , hormone , psychiatry
Frontal lobe epilepsy is a common focal epilepsy in children and is often difficult to treat. Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) or steroids have been used for patients with several forms of medically intractable epilepsy. We evaluated the short, medium, and long‐term evolution of patients with frontal lobe epilepsy and secondary bilateral synchrony on the EEG, who received ACTH treatment. Patients were recruited for an add‐on trial during clinical practice, and data was retrospectively analysed. The study group comprised 6 patients treated with ACTH. The effects of ACTH were assessed in the short term (at the end of a 6‐week period of ACTH treatment), medium term (at 6 months after the end of treatment), and long term (at 12 months after the end of treatment). At short‐term follow‐up, ACTH treatment was effective for all types of seizures in 5 of 6 patients and ineffective in 1 patient. All patients who were seizure‐free at the end of ACTH treatment maintained an excellent outcome, remaining seizure‐free at the end of follow‐up. Our study demonstrates that ACTH may represent an effective treatment for frontal lobe epilepsy with secondary bilateral synchrony. Further double‐blind prospective studies are required to confirm our initial findings.