Safety and Efficacy of Brivaracetam in Pediatric Refractory Epilepsy: A Single-Center Clinical Experience

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Neurology
• Clinical Pharmacology
• Epileptology

Background:

• Limited data exists on the use of brivaracetam, a novel antiepileptic drug, in pediatric populations.
• Refractory epilepsy in children poses significant treatment challenges, necessitating evaluation of new therapeutic options.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy and tolerability of brivaracetam in children and adolescents with refractory epilepsy.
• To determine the proportion of patients achieving significant seizure reduction with brivaracetam treatment.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective chart review was conducted on pediatric patients treated with brivaracetam between 2016 and 2018.
• The study included 23 children and adolescents diagnosed with refractory epilepsy, with seizure reduction defined as a >50% decrease in seizure frequency.

Main Results:

• Eight out of 23 patients (34.8%) achieved a >50% reduction in seizure frequency.
• The majority of responders (7 out of 8) had focal epilepsy; one patient had Lennox-Gastaut/mixed epilepsy.
• Adverse events included drowsiness (2 patients) and behavioral complaints (3 patients), with one experiencing tingling and dizziness.

Conclusions:

• Brivaracetam appears to be an effective treatment for refractory focal epilepsy in children over 4 years of age.
• The drug demonstrated a favorable tolerability profile in this pediatric cohort.
• Further prospective studies are warranted to confirm these findings and explore optimal dosing strategies.