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- Title
Efficacy of Levetiracetam at 12 Months in Children Classified by Seizure Type, Cognitive Status, and Previous Anticonvulsant Drug Use.
- Authors
Mandelbaum, David E.; Bunch, Marjorie; Kugler, Steven L.; Venkatasubramanian, Anuradha; Wollack, Jan B.
- Abstract
In a retrospective study of 59 children (ages 9 months to 23 years; mean age 11 years) with intractable epilepsy, seizure frequency was determined before and after 12 months of levetiracetam therapy. Charts were reviewed for seizure type (focal, generalized, or mixed), cognitive function (no special education versus special education), concomitant anticonvulsant medications (range 0-5), and the number of previous anticonvulsant drugs (range 1-12). Good to excellent seizure control (50-100% reduction) was attained in 6 (40%) patients with focal seizures, 16 (55%) patients with generalized seizures, and 8 (61%) patients with mixed seizures: these efficacy rates were not significantly different. The efficacy of levetiracetam was independent of cognitive status. Adverse effects were not associated with higher mean doses. This could be attributable to different rates of metabolism or represent idiosyncratic responses to the medication. Our finding that those children taking the combination of levetiracetam and zonisamide had a significantly worse outcome than those on levetiracetam and a different drug warrants further study, both clinically and from the standpoint of the mechanisms of action of levetiracetam and zonisamide and/or their pharmacodynamic interactions.
- Subjects
CHILDREN with epilepsy; SEIZURES (Medicine); COGNITIVE ability; THERAPEUTICS; METABOLISM; PHARMACODYNAMICS
- Publication
Journal of Child Neurology, 2005, Vol 20, Issue 7, p590
- ISSN
0883-0738
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1177/08830738050200071001