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Intravenous levetiracetam in children with epilepsy

Jatinder S Goraya1, Divya S Khurana, Ignacio Valencia

  • 1Section of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Pediatric Neurology
|February 19, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Intravenous levetiracetam shows promise for pediatric seizure management. This study found it safe and effective in children for various seizure types and as an oral substitute.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Clinical Pharmacology

Background:

  • Intravenous (IV) levetiracetam is approved for patients over 16 years.
  • Limited data exists on IV levetiracetam's safety and efficacy in pediatric populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the safety and efficacy of IV levetiracetam in children.
  • To explore its utility in diverse clinical scenarios requiring parenteral antiepileptic drug administration.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of ten pediatric patients (3 weeks to 19 years) treated with IV levetiracetam.
  • Dose: mean 50.5 mg/kg/day; Duration: mean 4.9 days.
  • Indications included acute repetitive seizures/status epilepticus, oral levetiracetam substitution, seizure prophylaxis, and maintenance therapy.

Main Results:

  • Three of four patients with acute repetitive seizures/status epilepticus achieved seizure freedom; one had reduced frequency.
  • All patients switched from oral to IV levetiracetam tolerated it well.
  • Other patients receiving IV levetiracetam for different indications also became seizure-free.
  • No serious adverse effects were reported, and all patients completed their prescribed treatment duration.

Conclusions:

  • IV levetiracetam appears to be a safe and effective option for pediatric patients requiring parenteral antiepileptic therapy.
  • Its use is beneficial in various clinical situations, including status epilepticus and as a substitute for oral formulations.
  • Further prospective studies are warranted to confirm these findings in larger pediatric cohorts.

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