Individual research recommendation details

Recommendation ID

CG137/2

Question

Epilepsy syndromes: What are the initial and add-on AEDs of choice in the treatment of the epilepsy syndromes with onset in childhood, for example, myoclonic-astatic epilepsy and Dravet syndrome?

Any explanatory notes
(if applicable)

Despite the need to diagnose individual epilepsy syndromes, there is little evidence on the most appropriate initial or add-on AEDs in the treatment of the rarer epilepsies.

The research should include:

• multicentre randomised controlled comparative trials with centralised national data collection

• the ketogenic diet as one of the randomised treatments

• primary outcome of seizure freedom

• secondary outcomes, including seizure reduction, quality of life and cognitive outcome

• an attempt to obtain data on pharmaco-resistance

• the possibility of including all children with specific epilepsy syndromes for consideration in the trial.

Source guidance details

Comes from guidance

Epilepsies: diagnosis and management

Number

CG137

Date issued

January 2012

Other details