title: Clinical experience of marketed Levetiracetam in an epilepsy clinic-a one year follow up study.
abstract: Levetiracetam is a new anti-convulsant with impressive pivotal trial credentials. We examined its effectiveness in refractory clinic patients with epilepsy with a year's follow up. Six months after initiation 32% of the patients were seizure free, and 26% at one year. By the end of the 12 months follow up 77% of patients were still taking the drug, having gained benefit from it: 23% had dropped out due to intolerable side effects, seizure increase or lack of efficacy. There is evidence that the drug is broad spectrum and as effective in primary generalised epilepsy as in partial onset epilepsy. Our audit of its use and effectiveness has led us to position it as our first choice add-on drug if the initial monotherapy drug fails.
authors.affiliation: Birmingham University Seizure Clinic, Queen Elizabeth Psychiatric Hospital, Birmingham, B15 2QZ, UK. t.a.betts@bham.ac.uk
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Betts
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yarrow
authors.forename: Lyn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Greenhill
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barrett
mesh_terms: D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D010889:Piracetam / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D010889:Piracetam