Clinical experience with levetiracetam for adults with epilepsy
Barcs, G.áb.; Szucs, A.
Ideggyogyaszati Szemle 60(1-2): 31-34
2007
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-1442 PMID: 17432091 Document Number: 610736
A retrospective study to evaluate the efficacy of levetiracetam in the treatment of adult pharmacoresistant epilepsy. Retrospective work up of our treatment-experiences with 55 pharmacoresistant patients treated with levetiracetam (11 of them on monotherapy) for 6-39 months. Three treatment groups were analysed: idiopathic generalised epilepsy (9 patients); partial epilepsy (30 patients); malignant or malignated epileptic syndromes (16 patients). Seven idiopathic generalised patients (77%) and 5 partial epilepsy patients (16%) became seizure free. One idiopathic generalised epileptic patient, 10 partial epilepsy patients (33%) significantly improved. Six patients (37%) from the group of malignant or malignated epileptic syndromes also significantly improved. Five of the improved idiopathic generalised epilepsy patients and 6 of the improved partial epilepsy patients received levetiracetam monotherapy. Altogether seven patients (12% of the whole population) relapsed after a 4-15 months improved period. Fifteen patients (27%) suffered side effects (mainly somnolence, headache, dizziness and irritability) improving after dose reduction of levetiracetam (generally below 2000 mg pro day). Levetiracetam is an effective, well tolerable, broad-spectrum drug as adjunctive treatment or monotherapy in adult patients unsuccessfully treated with other antiepileptic drugs.