Levetiracetam in stiff-person syndrome.

Abstract

We studied the effects of oral levetiracetam (LEV) (500 mg twice daily) in three women with stiff-person syndrome in a single-blind, placebo-controlled study. The severity of muscle rigidity and of paroxysmal symptoms was assessed by EMG and clinically by a rating scale of 0-4 and by the Patients Global Impressions Scale. LEV was well tolerated. On active treatment all patients improved as assessed by any of the objective or subjective outcome measures. No response was noticed on placebo. Our data indicate that in patients with SPS, LEV is well tolerated and has a therapeutic role in the management of both muscle stiffness and life-threatening paroxysmal respiratory spasms.

• Authors: Gianpietro Sechi, Marianna Barrocu, Maria G Piluzza, Giovanni A Cocco, Giovanni A Deiana, Gian Franco Sau
• Journal: Journal of neurology (J Neurol) Vol. 255 Issue 11 Pg. 1721-5 (Nov 2008) ISSN: 0340-5354 [Print] Germany
• PMID: 18769864 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Controlled Clinical Trial, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Anticonvulsants
• Levetiracetam
• Piracetam

Topics

• Aged
• Anticonvulsants (therapeutic use)
• Electromyography
• Female
• Humans
• Levetiracetam
• Middle Aged
• Muscle Rigidity (drug therapy)
• Muscle, Skeletal (drug effects, physiopathology)
• Neurologic Examination
• Piracetam (analogs & derivatives, therapeutic use)
• Respiration (drug effects)
• Single-Blind Method
• Spasm (drug therapy)
• Stiff-Person Syndrome (drug therapy)