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Updated: Dec 10, 2025

Behavioral Characterization of Pentylenetetrazole-induced Seizures: Moving Beyond the Racine Scale

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Published on: July 8, 2025

Levetiracetam-Induced Hepatic Dysfunction.

Parthasarathi Gayatri¹, Murali Mohan Selvam², S V Sreeharsha²

¹Department of Neuroanesthesia and Neuro Intensive Care, Sagar Hospitals, Kumaraswamy Layout, Banashankari, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.

Neurology India

|August 30, 2020

Summary

Levetiracetam is usually safe for liver patients, but this case shows it can cause liver dysfunction. Early drug withdrawal is crucial to prevent serious harm from this rare side effect.

Keywords:

Drug-induced liver injury hepatic dysfunction levetiracetam side effect

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Area of Science:

Pharmacology
Hepatology
Neurology

Background:

Levetiracetam is a widely used antiepileptic drug.
It is often considered the preferred choice for patients with hepatic dysfunction or those who have undergone liver transplantation.
Established guidelines support its use in this patient population due to a generally favorable hepatic safety profile.

Observation:

A case report details a patient who developed hepatic dysfunction.
The patient was receiving levetiracetam for seizure management.
Levetiracetam was identified as the most probable causative agent for the observed liver injury.

Findings:

This case challenges the conventional view of levetiracetam's safety in hepatic dysfunction.
It highlights a rare but significant adverse drug reaction associated with levetiracetam.
The findings underscore the importance of considering drug-induced liver injury even with commonly prescribed medications.

Implications:

Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for levetiracetam-induced hepatic dysfunction.
Prompt discontinuation of levetiracetam is essential for managing this adverse effect.
Early diagnosis and drug withdrawal can prevent severe morbidity and potential mortality associated with drug-induced liver injury.