Update and Overview of the International League Against Epilepsy Consensus Definition of Drug-resistant Epilepsy

Abstract

Drug-resistant epilepsy remains a major clinical challenge. Diverse criteria have been used to define drug resistance by different researchers, making it difficult or even impossible to compare the results across different studies. To improve patient care and facilitate clinical research, the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) recently proposed a consensus definition to define drug-resistant epilepsy. This is the failure of adequate trials of two tolerated, appropriately chosen and used antiepileptic drug schedules (whether as monotherapies or in combination) to achieve sustained seizure freedom. This article outlines the framework of the consensus definition, explains how to apply it in practice and discusses the future development of its use.