[Monotherapy with levetiracetam in adult patients with partial epilepsy]

One hundred and forty-three patients with partial epilepsy, aged 16-73 years, were treated with levetiracetam (keppra) during 3 years. Group 1 included 71 patients who received the drug as the first monotherapy, group 2 consisted of 72 patients who received levetiracetam as the second or the third monotherapy due to the insufficient efficacy/poor tolerability of the initial therapy with AED. Percent of retention of patients on the drug is an integral index of the total efficacy of treatment (remission or >50% decrease of seizure frequency) minus the percent of drug withdrawal due to different reasons for a certain period. In group1, the percent of retention was 90,1% for the first year, 87,3% for the second year and 83,1% for the third year; in group 2-75% for the first year, 70,8% for the second year and 69,4% - for the third year. The drug was well-tolerated. The drug withdrawals due to side effects was 5,6% in group 1 and 8,2% in group 2. The results of the study suggest high efficacy of levetiracetam in treatment of partial epilepsy.