[Clinical experience with levetiracetam for adults with epilepsy].
OBJECTIVE
A retrospective study to evaluate the efficacy of levetiracetam in the treatment of adult pharmacoresistant epilepsy.


METHODS
Retrospective work up of our treatment-experiences with 55 pharmacoresistant patients treated with levetiracetam (11 of them on monotherapy) for 6-39 months. Three treatment groups were analysed: idiopathic generalised epilepsy (9 patients); partial epilepsy (30 patients); malignant or malignated epileptic syndromes (16 patients).


RESULTS
Seven idiopathic generalised patients (77%) and 5 partial epilepsy patients (16%) became seizure free. One idiopathic generalised epileptic patient, 10 partial epilepsy patients (33%) significantly improved. Six patients (37%) from the group of malignant or malignated epileptic syndromes also significantly improved. Five of the improved idiopathic generalised epilepsy patients and 6 of the improved partial epilepsy patients received levetiracetam monotherapy. Altogether seven patients (12% of the whole population) relapsed after a 4-15 months improved period. Fifteen patients (27%) suffered side effects (mainly somnolence, headache, dizziness and irritability) improving after dose reduction of levetiracetam (generally below 2000 mg pro day).


CONCLUSIONS
Levetiracetam is an effective, well tolerable, broad-spectrum drug as adjunctive treatment or monotherapy in adult patients unsuccessfully treated with other antiepileptic drugs.
Barcs
Gábor
G
Neurológiai Osztály, Budapest. barcs@opni.hu
Szucs
Anna
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004351:Drug Resistance; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000188:drug therapy; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004829:Epilepsy, Generalized / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010889:Piracetam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013577:Syndrome; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D010889:Piracetam