Immunoglobulin treatment for severe childhood epilepsy

Abstract

We have used intravenous immunoglobulin to treat pediatric patients with various severe epileptic conditions. This retrospective, multicenter study comprised 64 consecutive patients treated with immunoglobulins for either epileptic encephalopathy or refractory epilepsy. The rate of full or partial improvement according to specific syndrome involved three of four patients with idiopathic West syndrome, six of 12 patients with electrical status epilepticus in sleep, eight of 19 patients with an undefined syndrome, one of three patients with Landau-Kleffner syndrome, and one of two patients with Rasmussen encephalitis. Intravenous immunoglobulins were ineffective in 10 patients with symptomatic West syndrome, nine with febrile infection-related status epilepticus, three with myoclonic astatic epilepsy, and two with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Nine patients (14%) demonstrated complete resolution, and 10 (15.6%) exhibited partial improvement. Of these 19 responders (29.7%), eight relapsed. Although intravenous immunoglobulin is not suitable for all cases of epilepsy, it may prove efficacious for specific epileptic syndromes, mainly idiopathic West syndrome and electrical status epilepticus during sleep.