title: The efficacy and tolerability of Levetiracetam as an add-on therapy in patients with startle epilepsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of Levetiracetam as an add-on therapy in patients with startle epilepsy (StEp).
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten (7 males and 3 females) were enrolled in the study. LEV was started at 500mg bid, escalating over 1-2 weeks to maximal doses of 3000mg daily, based on seizure control and tolerance for 13-28 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The onset of startle seizures in patients with StEp varied from birth to 11 years. Six in 10 patients gave good responses to the treatment. There were adverse effects in three patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many AEDs have been used by medically intractable patients with StEp for many years but the results were almost discouraging. It was observed that 60% of the patients gave good response to LEV. Advanced studies are required to indicate the efficiency of LEV which proved to be effective on animals with audiogenic seizures on reflex epilepsies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Millet Caddesi Capa 34390, Istanbul, Turkey. candan.gurses@gmail.com
authors.forename: Candan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gürses
authors.forename: Kadriye
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Alpay
authors.forename: Farah Diba
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Ciftçi
authors.forename: Nerses
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bebek
authors.forename: Betül
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Baykan
authors.forename: Ayşen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gökyiğit
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D020195:Epilepsy, Reflex / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D008297:Male; D010889:Piracetam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D010889:Piracetam