[Monotherapy with levetiracetam in adult patients with partial epilepsy].

Abstract

One hundred and forty-three patients with partial epilepsy, aged 16-73 years, were treated with levetiracetam (keppra) during 3 years. Group 1 included 71 patients who received the drug as the first monotherapy, group 2 consisted of 72 patients who received levetiracetam as the second or the third monotherapy due to the insufficient efficacy/poor tolerability of the initial therapy with AED. Percent of retention of patients on the drug is an integral index of the total efficacy of treatment (remission or >50% decrease of seizure frequency) minus the percent of drug withdrawal due to different reasons for a certain period. In group1, the percent of retention was 90,1% for the first year, 87,3% for the second year and 83,1% for the third year; in group 2-75% for the first year, 70,8% for the second year and 69,4% - for the third year. The drug was well-tolerated. The drug withdrawals due to side effects was 5,6% in group 1 and 8,2% in group 2. The results of the study suggest high efficacy of levetiracetam in treatment of partial epilepsy.

• Authors: P N Vlasov, V A Karlov, E G Komel'kova
• Journal: Zhurnal nevrologii i psikhiatrii imeni S.S. Korsakova (Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova) Vol. 110 Issue 11 Pt 2 Pg. 15-20 ( 2010) ISSN: 1997-7298 [Print] Russia (Federation)
• PMID: 21389934 (Publication Type: Controlled Clinical Trial, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Anticonvulsants
• Levetiracetam
• Piracetam

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Anticonvulsants (therapeutic use)
• Epilepsies, Partial (drug therapy, physiopathology)
• Humans
• Levetiracetam
• Middle Aged
• Piracetam (analogs & derivatives, therapeutic use)
• Treatment Outcome
• Withholding Treatment
• Young Adult