title: Continuation rates of levetiracetam in children from the EULEVp cohort study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Since indication extension to children data regarding the effectiveness of levetiracetam in paediatric patients remains limited.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Investigate the real-life effectiveness of levetiracetam in paediatric patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Epileptic children (<16 years) who had initiated levetiracetam between 1 October 2006 and 31 March 2007 were included and followed for 1 year by hospital or non-hospital neurologists practising in France.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 156 identified children, 147 were analysed: 51.7% were female, and mean (SD) age was 9.2 years (4.2). Most patients had either partial symptomatic (30.6%) or partial cryptogenic (26.5%) epilepsy, 92.5% experienced seizures during the 6 months preceding levetiracetam initiation, and 19.2% were on levetiracetam alone at initiation. One-year levetiracetam continuation rate was estimated to be 72.0% (95%CI [63.8; 78.6]). Of the 104 children continuing levetiracetam treatment at end of study, 31.7% were seizure-free during the last six months of follow-up, and 23.1% on levetiracetam alone. Discontinuation of levetiracetam (n = 41) was mainly for insufficient efficacy (58.5% of those concerned).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In real-life clinical practice important treatment retention and non-negligible reduction of seizure frequency may be expected.
authors.affiliation: Univ. Bordeaux, Bordeaux F-33076, France; INSERM CIC-P 0005, Bordeaux F-33076, France.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dureau-Pournin
authors.affiliation: CHU de Bordeaux, Bordeaux F-33076, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Michel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pédespan
authors.affiliation: Univ. Bordeaux, Bordeaux F-33076, France; INSERM CIC-P 0005, Bordeaux F-33076, France; INSERM U657, Bordeaux F-33076, France.
authors.forename: Cécile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Droz-Perroteau
authors.affiliation: Private Practice Neurologist, Gap F-05000, France.
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lavernhe
authors.affiliation: Private Practice Neurologist, Paris F-75000, France.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.affiliation: Univ. Bordeaux, Bordeaux F-33076, France; INSERM CIC-P 0005, Bordeaux F-33076, France.
authors.forename: Clothilde
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pollet
authors.affiliation: Univ. Bordeaux, Bordeaux F-33076, France; INSERM CIC-P 0005, Bordeaux F-33076, France. Electronic address: philip.robinson@pharmaco.u-bordeaux2.fr.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: Univ. Bordeaux, Bordeaux F-33076, France; INSERM CIC-P 0005, Bordeaux F-33076, France.
authors.forename: Jérémy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jové
authors.affiliation: Univ. Bordeaux, Bordeaux F-33076, France; INSERM CIC-P 0005, Bordeaux F-33076, France; CHU de Bordeaux, Bordeaux F-33076, France; INSERM U657, Bordeaux F-33076, France.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.affiliation: Univ. Bordeaux, Bordeaux F-33076, France; INSERM CIC-P 0005, Bordeaux F-33076, France; CHU de Bordeaux, Bordeaux F-33076, France; INSERM U657, Bordeaux F-33076, France. Electronic address: annie.fourrier@pharmaco.u-bordeaux2.fr.
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fourrier-Réglat
mesh_terms: D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002648:Child; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D008297:Male; D010889:Piracetam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D010889:Piracetam
keywords: Antiepileptic drugs; Cohort studies; Effectiveness; Epilepsy; Levetiracetam; Pediatrics