Valproic Acid in Epilepsy

To the Editor.—  We are writing in regard to the article "Valproic Acid (Depakene): A New Anticonvulsant Agent" (240:2190, 1978), in which Lewis presented a succinct review of the literature relative to the efficacy and toxicity of this drug. His conclusion that valproic acid "is most effective in absence seizures (simple and complex)" and "has produced improvement in tonic-clonic seizures, mixed absence with tonic-clonic seizures, and myoclonic epilepsy" may lead the reader, especially in view of the publicity in the public media before Food and Drug Administration approval, to believe that valproic acid may well be the long-sought "ideal anticonvulsant."Since our experience with valproic acid does not parallel the findings described by Lewis and conflicts with the advance enthusiasm relative to efficacy, we would like briefly to present our results in 48 patients treated with this drug. To avoid the inherent complexities and nosologic confusion associated with the International