title: Levetiracetam monotherapy for children and adolescents with benign rolandic seizures.
abstract: To assess the efficacy, tolerability and safety of Levetiracetam (LEV) therapy, we identified 21 (15 male; 6 female) patients with a history of benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS), with and without secondarily generalization in children and adolescents aged between 5.0 and 12.1 years. LEV was administered as a first drug (number of patients=9) or converted after previous treatment with other AEDs (number of patients=12). The patients were subdivided into two groups: "newly diagnosed" patients and "converted" patients. Patients were followed up for 12 months and all patients were able to continue on LEV treatment. At the end of follow-up (12 months), all patients were seizure free or showed a reduction of seizures >50%. LEV dosage ranged from 1000 to 2500mg/daily. Overall, 100% of patients completed the 12 months study, without any important side effect. Somnolence and irritability occurred in two (9.5%) patients. Our results support findings that LEV monotherapy is effective and well tolerated in children with BECTS. Prospective, large, long-term double-blind studies are needed to confirm these findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Chieti, Policlinico Universitario, Via dei Vestini 5, 66100 Chieti, Italy. averrott@unich.it
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verrotti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Coppola
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Manco
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ciambra
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Iannetti
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grosso
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Balestri
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Franzoni
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chiarelli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D004569:Electroencephalography; D019305:Epilepsy, Rolandic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D008297:Male; D010889:Piracetam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D010889:Piracetam