[Effect of monotherapy with phenytoin or carbamazepine on somatosensory evoked potentials in patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy].

Somatosensoric evoked potentials produced during a stimulation of median nerve have been recorded in 64 patients with untreated seizures, including 9 patients with partial seizures, 27 patients with partial complex seizures, partial secondary generalized seizures (22 patients), and 6 patients with primary generalized seizures. Higher mean amplitude of N13 wave has been noted in patients with simple partial seizures and complex seizures whereas a mean amplitude of wave N20 has been higher in case of partial primary generalized seizures. Measurements have been repeated in 45 patients with focal epilepsy within approximately 3 months. These patients have been given either phenytoin (22 individuals) or carbamazepine (21 individuals). Phenytoin prolonged mean proximal conduction time (N9-N13) while carbamazepine prolonged mean central conduction time (N13-N20). Both therapies prolonged mean peripheral conduction time in both groups but only in the group treated with carbamazepine observed changes were statistically significant.