title: [Which factors have an impact on levetiracetam serum concentrations? An analysis in 163 patients with epilepsy].
abstract: We evaluated factors possibly influencing serum concentrations of levetiracetam (LEV-SC). The study included 163 patients with epilepsy (91 men, 72 women; mean age 39.6 years). The duration of treatment on first analysis was 226 days; the mean daily dose amounted to 2,434 mg. In each patient between one and seven measurements were carried out (mean 2.2). LEV-SC significantly depended on daily dosage and the interval between the time the medication was taken and the time of blood extraction. A marked drop in LEV-SC was observed 4-5 h following ingestion. Carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine and clobazam reduced LEV-SC, whereas valproate elevated LEV-SC significantly. When assessing evaluation of compliance these factors have to be taken into consideration when comparing intraindividual LEV-SC.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Epileptologie, Universitätsklinikum Bonn, Bonn. Juergen.Bauer@ukb.uni-bonn.de
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pfeiffer
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Burr
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D001682:Biological Availability; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate; D010889:Piracetam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D013223:Statistics as Topic
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D010889:Piracetam