title: Adjunctive levetiracetam treatment in pediatric Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Our aim was to investigate the efficacy and tolerability of levetiracetam as an add-on treatment in pediatric patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was an open-label, multicenter, observational clinical trial of levetiracetam as an add-on treatment in Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Fifty-five patients aged 1.1-18.6 years (mean, 10.0 years) were enrolled. The study included a 4-8-week titration period and an 8-week maintenance period. The maintenance dose of levetiracetam was 20-80 mg/kg/day, according to its effectiveness and tolerability. The primary end point was reduction in seizure frequency, and related variables were also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 55 patents, 51 patients (92.7%) completed the study. Thirty-two patients (58.2%) experienced a more than 50% reduction in seizure frequency, and 15 patients (27.3%) became seizure free. A reduction in seizure frequency of more than 50% was observed in 21 of 36 patients (58.3%) with convulsive seizures, 7 of 12 patients (58.3%) with drop attacks, 2 of 4 patients (50.0%) with myoclonic seizures, and 2 of 3 patients (66.7%) with epileptic spasms. Overall, 34.5% of patients reported adverse events. None of the adverse events were life threatening, and the most common adverse event was hyperactivity (12.7%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that levetiracetam is a safe and effective treatment in pediatric patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyo Jeong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Kwandong University College of Medicine, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Shin Hye
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Neurology, Pediatric Epilepsy Clinics, Severance Children's Hospital, Epilepsy Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hoon-Chul
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Neurology, Pediatric Epilepsy Clinics, Severance Children's Hospital, Epilepsy Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Joon Soo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, National Health Insurance Corporation Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Hee Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Neurology, Pediatric Epilepsy Clinics, Severance Children's Hospital, Epilepsy Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. Electronic address: hdkimmd@yuhs.ac.
authors.forename: Heung Dong
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D065768:Lennox Gastaut Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D008297:Male; D010889:Piracetam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D010889:Piracetam
keywords: Lennox-Gastaut syndrome; child; efficacy; levetiracetam; tolerability