Intravenous methylprednisolone pulse therapy for children with epileptic encephalopathy

Abstract

The aim of this retrospective study of children affect­ed by epileptic encephalopathy was to evaluate seizure frequency, electroencephalographic pattern and neuropsychological status, before and after intravenous methylprednisolone therapy. Eleven children with epileptic encephalopathy were administered one cycle of intravenous methylpred­nisolone (15-30 mg/kg/day for three consecutive days, once a month for four months) in addition to constant dosages of their regular antiepileptic drugs. The treatment resulted in statistically significant reductions of generalized slow spike-and-wave dis­charges (p<0.0028) and seizure frequency (p<0.013), which persisted even after methylprednisolone pulse therapy was stopped. A globally positive outcome was noted in 9/11 patients (81.8%). This methylpred- nisolone treatment regimen did not cause significant or persistent adverse effects. We suggest that children with epileptic encephalopa­thy without an underlying structural lesion could be the best candidates for intravenous methylpred- nisolone pulse therapy.