Effectiveness and Safety of Nitrazepam in Children with Resistant West Syndrome

OBJECTIVES

To study the effectiveness, tolerability, and safety of oral nitrazepam in children with resistant West syndrome (WS).

METHODS

This prospective observational study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in North India from January 2019 to October 2020. Children with WS resistant to standard therapy were enrolled within 7 d of initiation of nitrazepam and prospectively followed-up for cessation of spasms and adverse events.

RESULTS

Forty-one children with resistant WS initiated on nitrazepam therapy were evaluated. The median age at onset of spasms was 6 mo (Q1, Q3: 4, 8). There was a preponderance of male gender (71%) and structural causes (78%). More than half of the enrolled children had failed four or more antiseizure medications (ASM) for epileptic spasms. The study participants had a long lead-time-to-treatment (LTTT) for the initial standard therapy (median: 2 mo; Q1, Q3: 1, 5) and nitrazepam (median: 11 mo; Q1, Q3: 8, 16). Nitrazepam was instituted as monotherapy in 7 (17%) children and as an adjunct in the rest. Twenty-one (51%) children achieved persistent cessation of epileptic spasms. However, the electroclinical response was observed in 17 (42%) children. Drowsiness, sialorrhea, and decreased appetite were the most commonly observed adverse events. Most adverse events were mild to moderate in severity and did not require dose reduction or change of medication. There was no significant difference between the responders and nonresponders in terms of LTTT, age at onset, or etiology.

CONCLUSIONS

Nitrazepam is a safe and feasible treatment alternative in children with resistant WS resulting in persistent cessation of spasms and electroclinical response in nearly half of patients.

Randomised clinical efficacy trial of topiramate and nitrazepam in treatment of infantile spasms

OBJECTIVE

Infantile spasms (IS) are among the most catastrophic epileptic syndromes of infancy. The purpose of this study was to compare efficacy and safety of topiramate (TPM) and nitrazepam (NZP) as first-line drugs in the treatment of IS.

MATERIALS & METHODS

In a parallel single-blinded randomized clinical trial, 50 patients with IS referred to Pediatric Neurology Clinic of Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran, were evaluated from September 2008 to March 2010. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups to be treated with TPM or with NZP for 6 months. The primary endpoint was efficacy in cessation of all spasms or reduction of more than 50% in weekly seizure frequency, which was evaluated before and 6 months after the drug use. Secondary outcome was clinical sideeffects of the drugs.

RESULTS

Twenty boys (40%) and 30 girls (60%) with the mean age of 9.4±3.8 months were evaluated. Cessation of all spasms occurred in 12 (48%) infants in TPM group and 4(16%) in NZP group. Eight (32%) children in TPM group and 7 (28%) in NZP group had more than 50% reduction in spasms frequency. So, TPM was more effective. Side effects were seen in 32% of TPM and in 36% of NZP groups.

CONCLUSION

Topiramate is an effective and safe drug, which might be considered as the firstline drug for the treatment of ISs.