[Treatment of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy with low-dose sodium valproate].

Eleven patients with Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy were treated using small doses of a sustained-release form of valproic acid (500 mg/day). This treatment has lasted for an average of 33 months (8-69) and has been continued in all of the patients. None of them has experienced a new generalized tonic-clonic seizure. The myoclonias have become considerably less frequent and less intense. No side-effects have been spontaneously reported by the group of patients. Thus, we suggest to start newly diagnosed patients on small doses of valproic acid.