The cognitive and behavioural effects of clobazam and standard monotherapyare comparable

Purpose: To compare the cognitive and behavioural effects of clobazam versu s standard monotherapy in the treatment of childhood epilepsy. Methods: A r andomized, double-blind, prospective design was carried out at three Canadi an pediatric epilepsy centres. This study was part of a larger multi-centre study on the efficacy of clobazam. Children with newly diagnosed epilepsy were assigned randomly to receive clobazam or carbamazepine. Children who h ad failed previous treatment with carbamazepine were assigned randomly to c lobazam or phenytoin. Children who had failed on any other antiepileptic dr ug were assigned randomly to receive clobazam or carbamazepine. In a subset of patients neuropsychological assessments were carried out at 6 weeks and 12 months after initiation of medication. Intelligence, memory, attention, psychomotor speed, and impulsivity were assessed. Results: There were no d ifferences between the clobazam and standard monotherapy groups on any of t he neuropsychological measures obtained at 6 weeks or 12 months. There was no evidence for a deterioration in performance for those children who remai ned on clobazam for the entire 12-month study period. Conclusion: The cogni tive and behavioural effects of clobazam appear to be similar to those of s tandard monotherapy. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.