Discontinuation of anticonvulsant therapy in children free of seizures for 1 year: a prospective study

Abstract

We studied 97 children who were weaned from antiepileptic drug therapy 1 year after their last seizure. Medication was withdrawn over 4 to 8 weeks, and patients were followed for 12 to 57 months (32.4 +/- 13.1; mean +/- SD) or until seizure recurrence. The overall probability of remaining seizure free was 78% at 3 months, 71% at 6 months, 66% at 12 months, and 61% at 24 months (95% CI, 51, 71), similar to studies that have required longer treatment periods. Factors retained in multivariate analysis were female sex, age at seizure onset over 120 months of age, seizure type, and clinical evidence of neurologic abnormalities. Using these risk factors, a simple method of predicting the 24-month recurrence risk was possible.