Many people with epilepsy need not experience further seizures if the diagnosis and treatment are correct. Most epilepsy patients have convulsions, which are usually fairly easy to diagnose. This study tested a model for treatment of people with convulsive forms of epilepsy at primary health-care level in rural areas of China.Patients with convulsive epilepsy were identified at primary care level and provided with phenobarbital monotherapy. Local physicians, who were provided with special training, carried out screening, treatment, and follow-up. A local neurologist confirmed the diagnoses. Efficacy was assessed from the percentage reduction in seizure frequency from baseline and the retention of patients on treatment.The study enrolled 2455 patients. In 68

作者：W Z, Wang；J Z, Wu；G Y, Ma；X Y, Dai；B, Yang；T P, Wang；C L, Yuan；Z, Hong；G S, Bell；L, Prilipko；H M, de Boer；J W, Sander

来源：The Lancet. Neurology 2006 年 5卷 1期