Elsevier

Seizure

Volume 16, Issue 3, April 2007, Pages 271-275
Seizure

Case report
Levetiracetam monotherapy for children and adolescents with benign rolandic seizures

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seizure.2006.12.006Get rights and content
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Summary

To assess the efficacy, tolerability and safety of Levetiracetam (LEV) therapy, we identified 21 (15 male; 6 female) patients with a history of benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS), with and without secondarily generalization in children and adolescents aged between 5.0 and 12.1 years. LEV was administered as a first drug (number of patients = 9) or converted after previous treatment with other AEDs (number of patients = 12). The patients were subdivided into two groups: “newly diagnosed” patients and “converted” patients.

Patients were followed up for 12 months and all patients were able to continue on LEV treatment. At the end of follow-up (12 months), all patients were seizure free or showed a reduction of seizures >50%. LEV dosage ranged from 1000 to 2500 mg/daily. Overall, 100% of patients completed the 12 months study, without any important side effect. Somnolence and irritability occurred in two (9.5%) patients.

Our results support findings that LEV monotherapy is effective and well tolerated in children with BECTS. Prospective, large, long-term double-blind studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Keywords

Benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes
Levetiracetam
Antiepileptic drugs

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