title: Hypokalemia and hypomagnesaemia related to levetiracetam use.
abstract: Levetiracetam (LEV), used for both partial and generalized seizures, is a frequently preferred antiepileptic because of its few side effects. We present a 23-year-old man who developed hypokalemia after switching from valproate to LEV. The patient was sent to our clinic due to hypokalemia 1 month after initiation of LEV, and his neurological examination was normal. Further examinations revealed hypokalemia (3.1 mmol/L) and hypomagnesaemia (0.56 mmol/L). His hemogram, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, total cortisol, thyroid function tests, creatinine clearance, and renal Doppler ultrasound were normal. LEV was tapered off and treatment with 200mg/day lamotrigine begun. Potassium and magnesium levels returned to normal ranges in subsequent tests. While hypokalemia and hypomagnesaemia have not been reported before to our knowledge, interstitial nephritis and renal failure after the use of LEV have been. Hypokalemia, found in the early period in this case, may be an indicator of a recently developed renal tubular disorder. This experience indicates that unpredictable side effects of increasingly used new antiepileptic drugs should be taken into consideration.
authors.affiliation: Gaziosmanpasa University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Muhittin Fusunoglu cd., 60100 Tokat, Turkey. Electronic address: dbekar@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Durdane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Aksoy
authors.affiliation: Gaziosmanpasa University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Muhittin Fusunoglu cd., 60100 Tokat, Turkey.
authors.forename: Betul
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cevik
authors.affiliation: Gaziosmanpasa University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Muhittin Fusunoglu cd., 60100 Tokat, Turkey.
authors.forename: Semiha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kurt
authors.affiliation: Gaziosmanpasa University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Muhittin Fusunoglu cd., 60100 Tokat, Turkey.
authors.forename: Elmas
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pekdas
authors.affiliation: Gaziosmanpasa University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Muhittin Fusunoglu cd., 60100 Tokat, Turkey.
authors.forename: Volkan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Solmaz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007008:Hypokalemia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D000077213:Lamotrigine; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D008274:Magnesium / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009395:Nephritis, Interstitial / Q000139:chemically induced; D010889:Piracetam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012640:Seizures / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014227:Triazines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D014227:Triazines; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D014635:Valproic Acid; D008274:Magnesium; D011188:Potassium; D000077213:Lamotrigine; D010889:Piracetam
keywords: Epilepsy; Hypokalemia; Levetiracetam