PHARMACOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT OF LENNOX-GASTAUT SYNDROME-A DIFFICULT -TO -TREAT FORM OF CHILDHOOD-ONSET EPILEPSY: AN OVERVIEW

Abstract

Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, or LGS, is a rare form of childhood-onset epilepsy  which usually appears between the 2nd and 6th year of life. The syndrome is characterized by frequent seizures and multiple seizure types, behaviour issues, mental retardation, regression, and a resistance to medications or therapies. The high frequency of seizures can take affect a patient's quality of life. Children are often required to wear a helmet due to the frequency of atonic seizures. Behaviour problems are a typical characteristic of LGS and can take a toll on the entire family. Individuals with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome are restricted from participating in certain activities such as some physical sports, driving, and various forms of employment. Changes in living quarters to accommodate the needs of a person with LGS are common. If an individual is wheelchair bound, an entire house or apartment may need to be remodelled for better accessibility. Shower bars and other equipment are often added in bathrooms to assist the individual. These improvements may be expensive, often leading to additional financial stress for a family. The side effects of many anti-epileptic drugs can also reduce the quality of life for a person with LGS. There is usually no single antiepileptic medication that will control seizures.  Treatment for Lennox-Gastaut syndrome includes antiepileptic medications such as valproate, lamotrigine, felbamate, or topiramate. Children who improve initially may later show tolerance to a drug or have uncontrollable seizures. In the present article, we have concentrated on characteristics, incidence, prevalence, mortality, causes, diagnosis, epidemiology, evolution and pharmacological treatment of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. This article presents a brief review of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome with an emphasis on its possible pharmacological treatment.