Abstract
In order to clarify the appropriate usage of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), the
efficacy and side effects of two different regimens of low dose ACTH therapy were
compared. Thirty-four patients with West syndrome (WS) were treated with ACTH. The
dose of synthetic ACTH-Z was 0.015 mg/kg/dose in 18 patients who were treated between 1996 and 1998 (regimen A), and
0.010 mg/kg/dose in 16 patients who were treated between 1999 and 2001 (regimen B). Patients
were classified into cryptogenic and symptomatic groups. Efficacy and adverse effects
of ACTH were compared between regimens A and B. Similar analyses were performed after
stratification into cryptogenic and symptomatic groups. The efficacy of ACTH was not
different between regimens A and B. However, among patients with symptomatic WS, the
number of ACTH injections and the dose of ACTH until cessation of spasms were significantly
smaller in regimen A than in regimen B. There was no significant difference in these
variables between the regimens among those with cryptogenic WS. Adverse effects were
not different between regimens A and B. 0.010 mg/kg per day of ACTH will be adequate for cryptogenic WS, but 0.015 mg/kg per day of ACTH is recommended for symptomatic WS.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
September 9,
2004
Received in revised form:
August 22,
2004
Received:
February 9,
2004
Identification
Copyright
© 2004 Elsevier B.V. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
