Antiepileptic drug therapy discontinuation risk in children with focal symptomatic epilepsy and cerebral palsy

2^nd International Conference on Epilepsy & Treatment

October 20-21, 2016 Rome, Italy

Marija Knezevic Pogancev

University of Novi Sad, Serbia

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Neurol Disord

Abstract :

Decision to withdraw of antiepileptic drugs must be based on a balanced view of the overall risk of seizure relapse, the factors most likely to affect that risk, and the medical, emotional and social implications of antiepileptic drug treatment. It�s hard to decide to start discontinuation of antiepileptic drug treatment in children with cerebral palsy, even its accepted children with cerebral palsy and epilepsy have essentially the same risk for seizure relapse after antiepileptic drug treatment discontinuation when compared with other epileptic children. Polytherapy necessary for reaching stable epileptic seizure control with (RR 1,39), and polytherapy at the time of starting antiepileptic drugs tapering, (RR 1,62) are factor we could identify that significantly increases the risk of relapse after discontinuation of antiepileptic drug treatment in children with cerebral palsy and epilepsy. Discontinuation of AEDs in children with epilepsy and cerebral palsy who have seizure remission periods of 3 or more, using one antiepileptic drug can, and should be, practiced when possible.

Biography :

Marija Knezevic Pogancev is a Pediatrician, Neuro-pediatrician, Clinical Neurophysiologist and Epileptologist. She is a full time Professor at University of Novi Sad, School of Medicine and Chief of Department for Developmental Neurology and Epileptology, Child and youth health care Institute of Vojvodina, Novi Sad, Serbia. She is graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade and Trained in Social Pediatry, Institute for Mother and Child Health Care, Belgrade, Trained in Mental Hygiene, Institute of Mental Health, Belgrade. She did her Master’s degree in Neuro-pediatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad and Specialization in Pediatry, Institute for Mother and Child Health Care, Belgrade. She was trained in Electroencephalography and Neurophysiology, Institute of Mental Health, Belgrade and completed her Subspecialization in Neurology of Developmental Period, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, and Scientist Doctor Degree.

Email: mkp.marija@gmail.com