title: Impending status epilepticus and anxiety in a pregnant woman treated with levetiracetam.
abstract: Levetiracetam (LEV) has been considered to undergo no significant change in bioavailability during pregnancy; however, it was recently demonstrated to display modifications leading to a drop in its serum level. We describe a patient who displayed impending status epilepticus following a fall in her LEV level during the first trimester. The oral LEV dosage was increased, and phenytoin and benzodiazepines were transiently prescribed. She experienced severe anxiety and an unbearable fear over the deleterious consequences for her baby despite repeated, reassuring explanations. Her anxiety was so strong that she aborted electively shortly after leaving the hospital. This observation emphasizes the need for LEV level monitoring during pregnancy to prevent unexpected seizure relapses. The rapid increase in levetiracetam dosage in parallel with the loss of seizure control is suspected of facilitating the induction of significant psychiatric changes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Novy
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hubschmid
authors.forename: Patrik
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Michel
authors.forename: Andrea O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Rossetti
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood; D001007:Anxiety / Q000139:chemically induced; D017034:Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D005239:Fear / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D010889:Piracetam / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D037841:Pregnant People / Q000523:psychology*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D010889:Piracetam