Child development following in utero exposure: levetiracetam vs sodium valproate.
OBJECTIVE
Children born to women with epilepsy (WWE), exposed in utero to levetiracetam (LEV, n = 51), were assessed for early cognitive development and compared to children exposed to sodium valproate in utero (VPA, n = 44) and a group of children representative of the general population (n = 97).


METHODS
Children were recruited prospectively from 2 cohorts in the United Kingdom and assessed using the Griffiths Mental Development Scale (1996), aged <24 months. Information regarding maternal demographics were collected and controlled for. This is an observational study with researchers not involved in the clinical management of the WWE.


RESULTS
On overall developmental ability, children exposed to LEV obtained higher developmental scores when compared to children exposed to VPA (p < 0.001). When compared, children exposed to LEV did not differ from control children (p = 0.62) on overall development. Eight percent of children exposed to LEV in utero fell within the below average range (DQ score of <84), compared with 40% of children exposed to VPA. After controlling for maternal epilepsy and demographic factors using linear regression analysis, exposure to LEV in utero was not associated with outcome (p = 0.67). Conversely, when compared with VPA exposure, LEV exposure was associated with higher scores for the overall developmental quotient (p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Children exposed to LEV in utero are not at an increased risk of delayed early cognitive development under the age of 24 months. LEV may therefore be a preferable drug choice, where appropriate, for WWE prior to and of childbearing age.
Division of Neurosciences, University of Liverpool, UK.
R
R
Shallcross
R L
RL
Bromley
B
B
Irwin
L J
LJ
Bonnett
J
J
Morrow
G A
GA
Baker
D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D010889:Piracetam / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects*
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D014635:Valproic Acid; D010889:Piracetam
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