title: The effect of levetiracetam on focal nocturnal epileptiform activity during sleep--a placebo-controlled double-blind cross-over study.
abstract: Electric Status Epilepticus during Sleep (ESES) occurs in children with and without epilepsy. It may be related to disturbances as autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and acquired aphasia (Landau-Kleffner syndrome). Antiepileptic drug (AED) treatment has been reported in small studies without placebo control. This study was designed to assess AED effect in a placebo-controlled double-blind cross-over study. Levetiracetam (LEV) was chosen based on clinical evidence. Eighteen patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The mean spike index at baseline was 56, falling to a mean of 37 at the end of the LEV treatment period. Assessed with a 2-way ANOVA, there is a significant treatment effect (p<0.0002). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first placebo-controlled double-blind cross-over study for any AED in patients with ESES. The effect of LEV is comparable with its effect in treatment of epileptic seizures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Oslo University Hospital, Norway. pal.gunnar.larsson@ous-hf.no
authors.forename: Pål Gunnar
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Larsson
authors.forename: Kristin A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Bakke
authors.forename: Helge
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bjørnæs
authors.forename: Einar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Heminghyt
authors.forename: Elisif
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rytter
authors.forename: Line
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brager-Larsen
authors.forename: Ann-Sofie
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Eriksson
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004831:Epilepsies, Myoclonic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D008297:Male; D010889:Piracetam / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D010889:Piracetam