Refractory absence epilepsy in 4 children was treated with amantadine as an add-on drug at the Tel Aviv University Sackler School of Medicine, Israel. The patients responded within 1 week and remained free of symptoms for 27-36 months without adverse effects. The dosage was 5-7 mg/kg per day given twice a day up to a maximum of 200 mg daily. [1]
COMMENT. Amantadine was initially used by Shields et al. in the treatment of 10 children with minor motor seizures refractory to medications. Myoclonic seizures and atypical absence seizures responded well. [2]