Abstract
To determine the effect of flunarizine therapy on patients with alternating hemiplegia
of childhood (AHC), we sent a questionnaire by mail to council members of the Japanese
Society of Child Neurology. We collected 28 AHC patients, and studied their clinical
courses and the effects of drug therapy. All of the patients had received flunarizine.
In 18 of the 28 patients, flunarizine reduced the severity, duration, or frequency
of the hemiplegic attacks. No other drug was more effective than flunarizine. Some
flunarizine non-effective patients were severely deteriorated, for example, they had
dementia or were ventilator-assisted. Flunarizine had not only a short-term effect,
i.e. it reduced the hemiplegic attacks, but also a long-term effect on the motor and
intellectual development in some patients with AHC. Flunarizine is still an essential
drug for treating AHC.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
April 26,
2001
Received in revised form:
April 13,
2001
Received:
February 9,
2001
Identification
Copyright
© 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
