RESUMO
Some pediatric neurologists maintain that mephobarbital (Mebaral) causes fewer behavioral side effects than phenobarbital. Because this hypothesis has not been previously tested, we conducted a prospective, double-blind, randomized, crossover study of these two anticonvulsants. Both drugs were equally effective in reducing the frequency of seizure, although serum phenobarbital levels were significantly higher when the patients were taking phenobarbital compared to mephobarbital. As measured by the Abbott Parent Questionnaire, there was no significant deterioration of behavior with either phenobarbital or mephobarbital, regardless of which drug was administered first.
Assuntos
Epilepsia/tratamento farmacológico , Mefobarbital/uso terapêutico , Fenobarbital/uso terapêutico , Criança , Comportamento Infantil/efeitos dos fármacos , Ensaios Clínicos como Assunto , Método Duplo-Cego , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Mefobarbital/efeitos adversos , Fenobarbital/efeitos adversos , Estudos Prospectivos , Distribuição AleatóriaRESUMO
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is particularly valuable in the diagnosis of childhood brain disorders with abnormal myelination because MRI may identify lesions not always seen with x-ray CT scans. We report the clinical and magnetic resonance findings of six children with leukodystrophy. T2 weighted (spin-echo) images disclosed striking asymmetric involvement of cerebral white matter, particularly in periventricular white matter and visual radiations. Calculated T1 values were significantly elevated in the children with leukodystrophy.