First Korean study of CBD for severe childhood epilepsy shows promise | Research

The takeaway

In the first Korean study of CBD for childhood epilepsy, about one-third of patients with Lennox-Gastaut or Dravet syndrome achieved at least 50% seizure reduction at 3 months.

Pediatric neurologists, epilepsy specialists, and parents of children with treatment-resistant epilepsy.

32.3% of LGS patients achieved 50%+ seizure reduction at 3 months

What the researchers found

Among 34 Lennox-Gastaut and 10 Dravet syndrome patients (ages 1-16), CBD at 10 mg/kg/day produced 50%+ seizure reduction in 32.3% of LGS patients at 3 months (declining to 20.6% at 6 months) and 30% of DS patients at 3 months (20% at 6 months). Adverse events occurred in 36.3% of patients, mostly gastrointestinal, with no life-threatening events.

Why it matters

This is the first study of pharmaceutical CBD for epilepsy conducted in Korea, extending the evidence base for CBD in severe childhood epilepsy syndromes beyond Western populations.

The numbers in context

44 patients (34 LGS, 10 DS); 50%+ seizure reduction in 32.3% of LGS at 3 months, 20.6% at 6 months; adverse events in 36.3%, mostly GI; no life-threatening events.

How the study worked

Retrospective study of 44 pediatric patients (34 LGS, 10 DS) treated with oral CBD at 10 mg/kg/day, evaluated at 3 and 6 months via caregiver reporting, EEG, and blood tests.

What this study cannot tell us

Retrospective design; small sample especially for Dravet syndrome (n=10); reliance on caregiver-reported seizure counts; efficacy appeared to decrease from 3 to 6 months; no control group.

How to read the evidence

Moderate: real-world clinical data from 44 patients but retrospective, uncontrolled, and small Dravet group.

When this study was published

Published 2020.

The bigger picture

These results are broadly consistent with the landmark trials that led to FDA approval of Epidiolex (CBD) for these conditions, suggesting similar efficacy across populations.

Questions still open

Why did response rates decline between 3 and 6 months? Would higher doses improve outcomes, and at what cost in side effects?

Common questions

How effective was CBD for these epilepsy syndromes?

About one-third of Lennox-Gastaut patients and 30% of Dravet patients achieved at least 50% seizure reduction at 3 months, though response rates decreased by 6 months.

Were there serious side effects?

No life-threatening adverse events were reported. Side effects occurred in 36.3% of patients and were mostly gastrointestinal (nausea, diarrhea).

Read the original research

Cannabidiol for Treating Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome and Dravet Syndrome in Korea.

Journal of Korean medical science, 35(50), e427

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Koo, Chung Mo; Kim, Se Hee; Lee, Joon Soo; Park, Byung Joo; Lee, Hae Kook; Kim, Heung Dong; Kang, Hoon Chul. (2020). Cannabidiol for Treating Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome and Dravet Syndrome in Korea.. Journal of Korean medical science, 35(50), e427. https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2020.35.e427