Clinical Trial on 7-day Followed by Maintenance Therapy for 10 Weeks vs. 14-day and no Maintenance Course of Prednisolone for the Treatment of Infantile Epileptic Spasms Syndrome (IESS)

In treatment arm A, oral prednisolone will be administered in tablet form (5 mg strength) as follows: an initial phase of 10 mg four times daily (total 40 mg/day) for 7 days, followed by a 15-day tapering phase-10 mg three times daily for 5 days, 10 mg twice daily for 5 days, and 10 mg once daily for 5 days. After tapering, a prolonged low-dose maintenance phase will be implemented, where 10 mg is given once daily twice a week for an additional 10 weeks. This regimen is designed to test whether a shorter high-dose course, combined with extended low-dose maintenance, can provide equivalent control of infantile epileptic spasms syndrome while reducing the adverse effects associated with longer high-dose therapy, compared to the standard 14-day high-dose regimen (treatment arm B).

Prednisone oral tablets, 10 mg, administered four times daily (40 mg/day) for 14 days, followed by a tapering phase over 15 days: 10 mg three times daily for 5 days, 10 mg twice daily for 5 days, and 10 mg once daily for 5 days. No further tapering will be implemented after the initial 14-day treatment period. This regimen represents the standard therapy for Infantile Spasms in Sri Lanka.