title: Effect of levetiracetam in patients with epilepsy and interictal epileptiform discharges.
abstract: The effect of acute treatment with the new antiepileptic drug (AED) levetiracetam (Keppra) on the frequency of interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) was evaluated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study with therapeutic drug monitoring and serial electroencephalographic (EEG) observations. Acute (500 mg twice daily) and chronic (individualized, 500-1000 mg twice daily) doses of levetiracetam were administered as an add-on to current AED treatment. Efficacy was tested by measuring the frequency of IEDs in EEG recordings and the number of seizures. A single acute dose of levetiracetam induced a reduction of IEDs in eight out of ten patients. During the acute phase, an insufficient number of seizures occurred for analysis. During chronic treatment over 8 weeks, seven patients showed a reduction in seizure frequency (responder rate), and one patient remained seizure free. No correlation was seen between levetiracetam levels and IED frequency. Doses of levetiracetam of up to 2000 mg/day were well tolerated, and no interactions were seen with concomitant AEDs.
authors.affiliation: Epilepsy Center Hamburg, Germany. s.stodieck@kv.alsterdorf.de
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stodieck
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Steinhoff
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kolmsee
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: van Rijckevorsel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D008297:Male; D010889:Piracetam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D010889:Piracetam