title: Effect of levetiracetam on testosterone levels in male patients.
abstract: We sought to determine whether the testosterone increase found with levetiracetam exposure in animal studies also occurs in patients. Adult male patients were evaluated for reproductive hormone levels before and 1 month after levetiracetam therapy. Eight subjects met inclusion/exclusion criteria (mean age 46 years, range 29-75 years). Total testosterone prior to starting levetiracetam ranged from 206-787 ng/dl [mean 445, standard deviation (SD) 227]. The mean total testosterone after levetiracetam therapy increased to 592 ng/dl (range 216-981, SD 297), an increase of 16% (p = 0.036). The free testosterone increased from a mean of 64 pg/ml (range 36-115, SD 30) to a mean of 76 pg/ml (range 35-155, SD 44), an increase of 19% (p = 0.080). The magnitude of change in testosterone levels correlated with the initial testosterone level (p = 0.038, r = 0.734). These results suggest that levetiracetam increases testosterone levels and that an initial testosterone level may predict the magnitude of increase.
authors.affiliation: Epilepsy Division, Department of Neurology, Miller School of Medicine of the University of Miami, Miami, Florida 33136, USA. charden@med.miami.edu
authors.forename: Cynthia L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Harden
authors.forename: Blagovest G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Nikolov
authors.forename: Padmaja
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kandula
authors.forename: Douglas R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Labar
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pannullo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D010889:Piracetam / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012016:Reference Values; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000378:metabolism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D013739:Testosterone; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D010889:Piracetam