Effectiveness and safety of levetiracetam in 133 children with medication resistant epileptic seizures

Introduction. Levetiracetam (LEV) is the latest drug approved in the European Union for use in polytherapy in children over 4 years of age with partial epileptic seizures that are resistant to other antiepileptic drugs. Aim. To report our experience of associating LEV in children with medication resistant epileptic seizures. Patients and methods. We conducted an open, observational, respective study involving 133 children with refractory epilepsies: 106 with focal seizures and 27 with other types of seizures. LEV was associated over a period of more than 6 months and we evaluated its repercussion on the frequency of the seizures and the side effects related to the drug. Results. With average doses of LEV of 1, 192 749 mg/day the frequency of the seizures was reduced by over 50% in 58.6% of cases and seizures were quelled in 15.8% of patients. Side effects were produced in 27.8% of cases, and were usually transient or tolerable; these effects led to withdrawal of LEV in only eight cases (6.02%). In 37 children (27.8%), their relatives noted an improvement in their social behaviour and cognitive abilities. Conclusions. a) LEV is an effective drug that is well tolerated in children with refractory epilepsy; b) Its effectiveness in different types of seizures indicates a broad therapeutic spectrum; and c) LEV can even condition favourable secondary effects, a circumstance that has been reported only exceptionally in the case of other antiepileptic drugs.