Anti-epileptic drugs in pediatric traumatic brain injury.
Pediatric post-traumatic epilepsy incidence varies depending on reporting mechanism and injury severity; anti-epileptic drug (AEDs) use also varies with lack of quality evidence-based data. Adverse AED effects are not negligible; some may negatively affect functional outcome. This review focuses on clarifying available data.



This review discusses seizures associated with traumatic brain injury in children, including seizure incidence, relationship to severity of injury, potential detrimental effects of seizures, potential benefits of AED, adverse effects of AED, new developments in preventing epileptogenesis, and suggested recommendations for patient management. English language papers were identified from PubMed using search terms including but not excluding the following: adverse drug effects, anti-epileptic drugs, children, electroencephalogram, epilepsy, epileptogenesis, head injury, levetiracetam, pediatrics, phenytoin, post-traumatic epilepsy, prevention, prophylaxis, seizures, and traumatic brain injury. Expert commentary: Identification of high-risk patients for post-traumatic seizures is a key goal. Levetiracetam may prevent epileptogenesis, as may other developments.
a Division of Neurological Surgery , University of Missouri School of Medicine , Columbia , MO , USA.
Tomoko
T
Tanaka
a Division of Neurological Surgery , University of Missouri School of Medicine , Columbia , MO , USA.
N Scott
NS
Litofsky
D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000070642:Brain Injuries, Traumatic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010889:Piracetam / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012640:Seizures
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D010672:Phenytoin; D010889:Piracetam
Traumatic brain injury; adverse drug effect; antiepileptic drug; pediatric; post-traumatic epilepsy