Incidence of drug-induced aggravation in benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes

Purpose: Benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS) is characterize d by an excellent prognosis. Drug therapy is necessary in only a minority o f patients. Car bamazepine (CBZ) and phenobarbital (PB) have been reported to cause electroclinical aggravation in some cases. The incidence of drug-i nduced aggravation in BECTS has never been established. Methods: We retrospectively studied 98 consecutive cases of BECTS, examined at the Centre Saint Paul between 1984 and 1999; 82 patients had received o ne or more treatments, often successively and in association. Results: We found only one case of electroclinical aggravation with CBZ amo ng 40 patients exposed to CBZ (35 in mono-therapy, five in polytherapy). An additional case showed a marked EEG aggravation on CBZ + PB among 14 patie nts taking PB (nine with monotherapy and five with polytherapy), and PB was apparently responsible. No patient treated with valproate or benzodiazepin es showed aggravation. Conclusions: Aggravation of BECTS caused by antiepileptic drugs happens onl y rarely. There is a minor risk of aggravation with CBZ and also probably w ith PB. Drug-induced aggravation may occur only during certain periods coin ciding with spontaneous worsening of BECTS.