title: Evaluation of levetiracetam and valproic acid as low-dose monotherapies for children with typical benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to compare the monotherapeutic efficacies of levetiracetam (LEV) and valproic acid (VPA) in a cohort of newly diagnosed children with typical benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 56 children with typical BECTS were retrospectively reviewed in the analyses. Thirty-three children received LEV and 23 received VPA as initial monotherapy, and the treatments lasted for at least 18 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average dosage of LEV was 22.7 ± 4.7 mg/kg/day, and that of VPA was 18.7 ± 5.7 mg/kg/day. The seizure-freedom rates were not significantly different between the two groups at 6 (57.5% vs. 60.9%), 12 (81.8% vs. 73.9%) or 18 months (100% vs. 100%). However, a greater number of the children taking VPA achieved Electroencephalography (EEG) normalization compared to those taking LEV both at 12 (78.3% vs. 45.5%) and 18 months (95.7% vs. 72.7%; p<0.05). No children discontinued therapy due to adverse effects during the follow-up. Only one child (4.7%) in the VPA group exhibited mild weight gain (BMI increase of 2 at the end of follow-up) but did not withdraw from treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low-dosage VPA and LEV monotherapies are equally effective in controlling seizures, but VPA exhibited better efficacy than LEV in improving the electrophysiological abnormalities of children with BECTS. None of the patients discontinued therapy, which was likely due to the administration of low dosages.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Fenglai
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Dongmei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: An
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hanyu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Sihan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jiechuan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: zhoudong66@yahoo.de.
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058256:Brain Waves / Q000187:drug effects; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004569:Electroencephalography; D019305:Epilepsy, Rolandic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D008297:Male; D010889:Piracetam / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D014635:Valproic Acid; D010889:Piracetam
keywords: Benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes; Levetiracetam; Low dosage; Monotherapy; Valproic acid