Adverse effects of phenytoin given for late-onset seizures in adults with Down syndrome
Citation Manager Formats
Make Comment
See Comments
This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.
Late-onset seizures (LOS) are estimated to occur in 75% to 85% of people with Down syndrome (DS) who develop AD above 50 years of age.1-3⇓⇓ Phenytoin is one of the antiepileptics used in the elderly for control of seizures; however, the probability of adverse events is increased, even with normal total drug concentration.4
Sedation, unsteadiness, and abrupt cognitive deterioration were first observed in five adults with DS, AD, and LOS receiving phenytoin but were reversed when phenytoin was replaced with divalproex.5 Treating neurologists attributed these effects to advanced stages of the dementing process because phenytoin levels were within the therapeutic range.
Here, we report the adverse effects of therapeutic levels of phenytoin and the improvement observed when phenytoin was replaced with other antiepileptics in 17 adults with DS, AD, and LOS.
Materials and methods.
In the past 8 years, more than 200 adults with DS were referred to a tertiary clinic for dementia evaluation. Seventeen patients were identified for whom …
AAN Members
We have changed the login procedure to improve access between AAN.com and the Neurology journals. If you are experiencing issues, please log out of AAN.com and clear history and cookies. (For instructions by browser, please click the instruction pages below). After clearing, choose preferred Journal and select login for AAN Members. You will be redirected to a login page where you can log in with your AAN ID number and password. When you are returned to the Journal, your name should appear at the top right of the page.
AAN Non-Member Subscribers
Purchase access
For assistance, please contact:
AAN Members (800) 879-1960 or (612) 928-6000 (International)
Non-AAN Member subscribers (800) 638-3030 or (301) 223-2300 option 3, select 1 (international)
Sign Up
Information on how to subscribe to Neurology and Neurology: Clinical Practice can be found here
Purchase
Individual access to articles is available through the Add to Cart option on the article page. Access for 1 day (from the computer you are currently using) is US$ 39.00. Pay-per-view content is for the use of the payee only, and content may not be further distributed by print or electronic means. The payee may view, download, and/or print the article for his/her personal, scholarly, research, and educational use. Distributing copies (electronic or otherwise) of the article is not allowed.
Letters: Rapid online correspondence
REQUIREMENTS
You must ensure that your Disclosures have been updated within the previous six months. Please go to our Submission Site to add or update your Disclosure information.
Your co-authors must send a completed Publishing Agreement Form to Neurology Staff (not necessary for the lead/corresponding author as the form below will suffice) before you upload your comment.
If you are responding to a comment that was written about an article you originally authored:
You (and co-authors) do not need to fill out forms or check disclosures as author forms are still valid
and apply to letter.
Submission specifications:
- Submissions must be < 200 words with < 5 references. Reference 1 must be the article on which you are commenting.
- Submissions should not have more than 5 authors. (Exception: original author replies can include all original authors of the article)
- Submit only on articles published within 6 months of issue date.
- Do not be redundant. Read any comments already posted on the article prior to submission.
- Submitted comments are subject to editing and editor review prior to posting.
You May Also be Interested in
Dr. Dennis Bourdette and Dr. Lindsey Wooliscroft
► Watch
Related Articles
- No related articles found.