RT Journal
A1 DOOLEY JM, CAMFIELD PR, GOULDEN KJ, MacKEN SR
T1 LOw-dose alternate-day corticotropin therapy in the treatment of childhood seizures
JF American Journal of Diseases of Children
JO American Journal of Diseases of Children
YR 1989
FD November 1
VO 143
IS 11
SP 1263
OP 1265
DO 10.1001/archpedi.1989.02150230021013
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archpedi.1989.02150230021013
AB Sir.—Corticotropin was used to treat 17 children with intractable epilepsy other than infantile spasms. Treatment was brief, averaging 5.9 weeks, with 3 to 6 1U/kg per day as the starting dose. Remission of seizures, persisting for a year or more, was achieved in 5 (55.6%) of 8 children with myoclonic/akinetic seizures but in none of the 9 patients with intractable generalized clonic or complex partial seizures (GTC-CPS) (P<.01, Fisher's Exact Test). No patient suffered serious side effects.A short course of low-dose corticotropin therapy appears useful for some children with myoclonic/akinetic seizures but not for patients with intractable GTC-CPS epilepsy.Corticotropin has been recognized as a valuable anticonvulsant since 1950.1 Its use, however, has been mainly confined to children with infantile spasms. In 1983, Snead et all reported that corticotropin completely controlled the seizures in all 52 patients studied with infantile spasms and in 74% of 64 children