Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Electromagnetic Source Imaging in Presurgical Evaluation of Children with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy
09:57

Electromagnetic Source Imaging in Presurgical Evaluation of Children with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy

Published on: September 20, 2024

[Follow-up study on levetiracetam monotherapy in children with epilepsy]

Zhi-Jie Gao1, Yu-Wu Jiang

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China.

Zhongguo Dang Dai Er Ke Za Zhi = Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics
|December 24, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Levetiracetam (LEV) monotherapy effectively controlled seizures in 80.6% of children with epilepsy, with 70.9% becoming seizure-free. This epilepsy treatment demonstrated good tolerability and safety in pediatric patients.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Clinical Pharmacology
  • Epileptology

Background:

  • Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder in children.
  • Monotherapy is often preferred for initial treatment in pediatric epilepsy.
  • Levetiracetam (LEV) is an established anti-epileptic drug with a known safety profile.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the efficacy of levetiracetam (LEV) as a monotherapy for epilepsy in children.
  • To evaluate the tolerability and safety profile of LEV monotherapy in a pediatric population.

Main Methods:

  • An open-label, self-controlled study involving 32 children (8 months to 12 years) with epilepsy.
  • Levetiracetam (LEV) dosage initiated at 10 mg/kg/day, titrated weekly to a target dose of 20-40 mg/kg/day (mean 35 mg/kg/day).
  • Follow-up duration exceeded three months for 31 patients.

Main Results:

  • Significant seizure reduction (≥50%) observed in 80.6% (25/31) of patients.
  • Seizure freedom achieved in 70.9% (22/31) of participants.
  • Adverse events were generally mild and transient, including behavioral changes (19.4%) and somnolence (6.5%).

Conclusions:

  • Levetiracetam (LEV) monotherapy demonstrates significant efficacy and a favorable safety profile for managing partial and generalized tonic-clonic seizures in children.
  • LEV is a promising anti-epileptic drug option for monotherapy in pediatric epilepsy management.
  • The observed adverse effects were manageable through dose adjustment or resolved spontaneously.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Sampling Cerebrospinal Fluid and Blood from Lateral Tail Vein in Rats During EEG Recordings10:46

Sampling Cerebrospinal Fluid and Blood from Lateral Tail Vein in Rats During EEG Recordings

Published on: September 1, 2023

Interictal High Frequency Oscillations Detected with Simultaneous Magnetoencephalography and Electroencephalography as Biomarker of Pediatric Epilepsy10:22

Interictal High Frequency Oscillations Detected with Simultaneous Magnetoencephalography and Electroencephalography as Biomarker of Pediatric Epilepsy

Published on: December 6, 2016

Related Concept Videos

Antiepileptic Drugs: Modulators of Neurotransmitter Release Mediated by SV2A Protein01:20

Antiepileptic Drugs: Modulators of Neurotransmitter Release Mediated by SV2A Protein

Antiepileptic drugs, such as levetiracetam (Keppra) and brivaracetam (Briviact), have emerged as crucial tools in managing epilepsy. These medications exert their therapeutic effects by targeting the synaptic vesicle protein SV2A, a transmembrane glycoprotein primarily found in the brain.
SV2A is a transmembrane glycoprotein located predominantly in the brain, modulating the release of neurotransmitters for neuronal communication. Both levetiracetam and brivaracetam exhibit a high affinity for...
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion01:26

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion

In pediatric medicine, understanding the renal function and drug elimination nuances is crucial for administering safe and effective treatments. Newborns, in particular, display markedly slower renal functions than adults, profoundly affecting how drugs are cleared from their bodies. This slower drug clearance requires clinicians to extend the dosing intervals for many medications to prevent drug accumulation and toxicity while ensuring therapeutic efficacy.One key area where these adjustments...
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism01:24

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism

In pediatric care, understanding the nuances of hepatic drug metabolism is crucial, as it significantly differs from that of adults. This divergence is primarily due to the developmental stage of drug-metabolizing enzymes, which affects how medications are processed in the body. In neonates, for instance, the activity of Phase I enzymes—critical for the initial breakdown of drugs—is markedly reduced, functioning at just 20–40% of the levels seen in adults. This reduction poses a challenge in...
Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview01:24

Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease marked by recurrent, unpredictable seizures. These seizures are caused by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain, leading to behavior, sensation, or consciousness alterations. They can also cause transient impairment of awareness, interfering with daily activities.
Various factors can trigger epilepsy, including genetic factors, brain damage, metabolic causes, and unknown etiology. Diagnosis of epilepsy involves electroencephalography (EEG), which...
Electroconvulsive Therapy01:30

Electroconvulsive Therapy

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), or shock therapy, remains a critical biomedical intervention for severe, treatment-resistant depression. While its origins can be traced back to Hippocrates' observations that malaria-induced convulsions alleviated mental illness, modern ECT has evolved significantly from its earlier, more primitive applications. First introduced in 1938 by Ugo Cerletti and his colleagues, ECT involves inducing controlled seizures using electrical currents. In its early years,...
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption01:23

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption

Understanding the physiological differences in the pediatric population is crucial for effective pharmacotherapy. Neonates, infants, and children exhibit significant variations in gastric pH, gastric emptying time, intestinal transit time, and biliary function. These variations profoundly affect oral drug absorption, necessitating a nuanced approach to pediatric dosing.Neonates present with a unique physiological profile, having a gastric pH greater than 4 and faster and more irregular gastric...