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Efficacy and safety of levetiracetam in pediatric epilepsy

Ahmed A Elberry1, Rawabi K Felemban, Rawan H Hareeri

  • 1Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia ; Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt.

Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal : SPJ : the Official Publication of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society
|August 21, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Levetiracetam (LEV) shows promise as an effective adjunctive therapy for childhood epilepsy, particularly for generalized tonic-clonic seizures. This study found LEV to be well-tolerated with minimal side effects in pediatric patients.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Epileptology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Childhood epilepsy encompasses various generalized seizure types.
  • Adjunctive therapies are crucial for managing refractory epilepsy in children.
  • Levetiracetam (LEV) is a widely used antiepileptic drug.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the efficacy of Levetiracetam (LEV) as an add-on treatment for pediatric patients with generalized epilepsies.
  • To evaluate the tolerability and safety profile of LEV in this patient population.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective chart review of 22 pediatric patients (ages 4-19) treated with LEV for at least one year.
  • Data collected included epilepsy type, seizure frequency, concurrent antiepileptic drugs, and adverse effects.
  • LEV dosage ranged from 250 to 2000 mg daily.

Main Results:

  • 45% of patients achieved seizure freedom for 7 months to 1 year; 80% of these had normalized EEGs.
  • Seizure frequency decreased in 41% of patients, while 14% continued to experience seizures.
  • Only one patient reported a side effect potentially related to LEV.

Conclusions:

  • Levetiracetam (LEV) demonstrates significant efficacy as adjunctive therapy for childhood epilepsy, especially for generalized tonic-clonic seizures.
  • LEV appears to be well-tolerated with a favorable safety profile in pediatric patients.
  • LEV is a viable treatment option for improving seizure control in children with generalized epilepsies.
Abstract

Keywords:
EpilepsyLevetiracetamPediatricSeizure

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