POSSIBILITIES OF TIC HYPERKINESIA THERAPY USING ANTIСONVULSANTS

Abstract

Objective: to evaluate and compare the clinical efficacy of topiramate and levetiracetam in the treatment of tic disorders. Materials and methods. We assessed the effectiveness of 1-2 mg/kg topiramate and up to 30 mg/kg levetiracetam in 17 tic patients aged 10 to 17 years old. Clinical evaluation of hyperkinesia severity and surface electromyography (EMG) were recorded before receiving the drug and later after 6 weeks of treatment. The clinical severity was assessed by Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS, 1989). The control group consisted of 15 healthy children of comparable sex and age. Results. Topiramate and levetiracetam significantly reduced the hyperkinesia, tics severity according to Yale Scale (p<0.05), and the prevalence of firing activity on EMG when registering hyperkinesia from different muscle groups. The maximum effect was obtained in the topiramate treatment group (p<0.05). Conclusion. The study has shown the clinical efficacy of anticonvulsants in the treatment of tics in children.

Keywords

• tics
• yale global tic severity scale
• surface electromyography
• topiramate
• levetiracetam