Medical Notes in Parliament: Retrospective Analysis of Epilepsy Treatment in Children
July 1911
in “
BMJ
”
TLDR Sodium valproate improved epilepsy control in most children but often caused weight gain and other mild side effects.
A retrospective analysis of 100 children with epilepsy treated with sodium valproate showed improved fit control in 77 patients, particularly in those with generalized epilepsy. While severe side effects like acute liver disease and pancreatitis were not observed, milder side effects were common, affecting 65 patients. The most frequent side effect was increased weight gain, occurring in 44 cases, followed by transient gastrointestinal disturbances (20), lassitude (9), transient hair loss (6), transient enuresis (7), and aggressive behavior (4).
