title: Levetiracetam in patients with generalised epilepsy and myoclonic seizures: an open label study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of levetiracetam (LEV) as either 'de novo' (monotherapy) or 'add-on' therapy in patients with different generalised epilepsies characterised by myoclonic seizures from an observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated 35 patients (21 female, mean age 24.7 years) with different types of generalised epilepsies (juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME), severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy (SMEI), Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS), myoclonic-astatic epilepsy (MAE), myoclonic absences (MA), benign myoclonic epilepsy in infancy (BMEI) and 4 patients had unspecified epileptic syndromes). Patients received LEV as de novo monotherapy or add-on therapy. Seizure frequency changes and adverse events were observed. Follow-up was conducted for a period of 12 months after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients received LEV 2000-3000 mg/day as de novo (n = 8) and as add-on therapy. In total, 29 (82%) of the 35 patients achieved > or = 50% seizure frequency reduction, 15 (42%) patients achieved seizure freedom while a further 14 (40%) patients achieved > or = 50-99% seizure frequency reduction. Six (17%) patients discontinued LEV due to inefficacy or seizure worsening. Not even a single patient discontinued due to adverse effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results confirm that LEV as de novo (monotherapy) and add-on therapy at doses between 2000 and 3000 mg/day effectively reduces myoclonic seizure frequency in patients with generalised epilepsy. LEV was also well-tolerated.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, University Magna Graecia, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Labate
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Colosimo
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gambardella
authors.forename: Ugo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Leggio
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ambrosio
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Quattrone
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004831:Epilepsies, Myoclonic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004829:Epilepsy, Generalized / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D008297:Male; D010889:Piracetam / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D010889:Piracetam