Efficacy of levetiracetam in Huntington disease.
OBJECTIVE
Levetiracetam (LEV) is a novel antiepileptic drug characterized by a wide spectrum of action; no pharmacologic interaction and poor adverse events are reported. In animal models, effects of LEV are observed in basal ganglia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of LEV in reducing involuntary movements in subjects affected by Huntington disease (HD).


METHODS
This was a single-center, short-term, open-label, controlled study. Patients had LEV as add-on therapy for 6 months. In the first visit patients were rated according to the Unified Huntington Disease Rating Scale. Every 2 months they were submitted to all these tests. LEV was added at the dose of 500 mg twice daily for the first 2 months and then the dosage was increased until 1000 mg twice daily for the next 4 more months. The authors enrolled 22 patients: 15 were assigned to the LEV group and 7 were enrolled as control subjects.


RESULTS
No serious adverse events were experienced by the treated patients. After 6 months of treatment patients on LEV showed a significant reduction of involuntary movements, with a slight improvement of functional capacity compared with the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
Results of this short-term, prospective, controlled study indicates that in HD patients, LEV is effective in reducing involuntary movements, thus improving the quality of life.
de Tommaso
Marina
M
Department of Neurological and Psychiatric Sciences, University of Bari, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy. m.detommaso@neurol.uniba.it
Di Fruscolo
Olimpia
O
Sciruicchio
Vittorio
V
Specchio
Nicola
N
Cormio
Claudia
C
De Caro
Maria Fara
MF
Livrea
Paolo
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006816:Huntington Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D010889:Piracetam / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016138:Walking
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D010889:Piracetam