[Valproic acid versus lamotrigine as a monotherapy for absence epilepsy in children].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of valproic acid (VPA) and lamotrigine as a monotherapy for absence epilepsy in children. METHODS: A randomized, open-label design was used. Childhood absence epilepsy was diagnosed based on the presence of typical seizures and video-EEG findings. Eligible patients were randomly treated with VPA or lamotrigine. All patients were followed up for 12 months. RESULTS: Forty-five out of 48 eligible children completed the study. There were 23 children in the VPA group and 22 children in the lamotrigine group. Seventeen children were seizure-free in the VPA group 12 months after treatment. Fifteen out of the 17 children showed normal EEG (no epileptic-formed discharge). Twelve children were seizure-free in the lamotrigine group 12 months after treatment. The proportion showing normal EEG in the lamotrigine group (6/22, 27.3%) was significantly lower than that in the VPA group (15/23, 65.2%) (P<0.05). Severe adverse effects were not found in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Both VPA and lamotrigine are safe and efficacious for treatment of absence seizures in children. VPA appears to be better than lamotrigine in tapering epileptic-formed discharge.