title: Levetiracetam monotherapy for newly diagnosed epilepsy patients.
abstract: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of all of our patients with a history of partial seizures, with and without secondarily generalisation, who received levetiracetam (LEV; Keppra) for treatment of their seizures during the years 2000-2002. Forty-five patients were identified, 13 of whom began LEV as first line therapy. Eleven patients continued on LEV for at least 6 months; six of whom became seizure free and five had >50% reduction in their seizures. The remaining two patients discontinued LEV because of adverse effects. LEV monotherapy can be effective and well tolerated in adults with new onset seizures. A prospective, large, double-blind monotherapy study for newly diagnosed patients is needed to confirm this finding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA. taoufik.alsaadi@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu
authors.forename: Taoufik M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Alsaadi
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thieman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000178:diet therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D008875:Middle Aged; D010889:Piracetam / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D010889:Piracetam