title: Levetiracetam for seizures after liver transplantation.
abstract: Seizures may occur after orthotopic liver transplantation. Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are used to treat these seizures, but the immunosuppressant regimen also may be altered. Levetiracetam is an attractive treatment because of its efficacy, lack of hepatic enzyme induction, and its rapid attainment of serum levels. Treatment with levetiracetam is efficacious, and levetiracetam-treated patients require significantly lower doses of immunosuppressant medications to achieve an equivalent antirejection effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Tufts-New England Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Glass
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stankiewicz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mithoefer
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Bergethon
mesh_terms: D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000009:adverse effects; D010889:Piracetam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D010672:Phenytoin; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D010889:Piracetam