[Effectiveness and safety of levetiracetam in patients with essential tremor: data from an open 11-week follow-up trial].
BACKGROUND
It is a well-known fact that a relatively high proportion of patients with essential tremor are resistant to a number of pharmaceuticals currently used to treat the condition.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the effectiveness and safety of levetiracetam (LEV) in patients who displayed little or no response or intolerable side effects under treatment with beta blockers or primidone, or who presented contraindications against beginning such treatments.


METHODS
We conducted an open 11-week pilot study in patients with the characteristics described above. The main response measurements were based on the Fahn-Tolosa-Marin (FTM) tremor rating scale, accelerometric variables and side effects. The maximum dose of LEV was 3000 mg, which was reached by patients who did not benefit from lower doses, after one week's treatment with 1000 mg and four weeks' treatment with 2000 mg. RESULTS. The sample consisted of 14 patients with essential tremor, with a mean age of 70.08 (7.99) years and an average clinical history of 11.5 years. Although by the end of the study small decreases were observed on the FTM rating scale and in the amplitude of the tremor, none of the differences were significant. Six patients dropped out of the study because of a lack of effectiveness or to side effects.


CONCLUSIONS
LEV did not produce any statistically significant modifications in any of the variables that were monitored in this group of patients.
Servicio de Neurología, Hospital de Mataró, Mataró, Barcelona, Espana. msanz@csdm.es
P
P
Sanz-Cartagena
P
P
Fossas
M
M
Floriach-Robert
M
M
Serra-Prat
A
A
Cano
E
E
Palomeras
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020329:Essential Tremor / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010889:Piracetam / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D010889:Piracetam