DrugLib.com — Drug Information Portal

Rx drug information, pharmaceutical research, clinical trials, news, and more



Levetiracetam for the treatment of idiopathic generalized epilepsy with myoclonic seizures.

Author(s): Noachtar S, Andermann E, Meyvisch P, Andermann F, Gough WB, Schiemann-Delgado J, N166 Levetiracetam Study Group

Affiliation(s): Epilepsy Centre, Department of Neurology, University of Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 Munich, Germany. noa@med.uni-muenchen.de

Publication date & source: 2008-02-19, Neurology., 70(8):607-16.

Publication type: Clinical Trial; Multicenter Study; Randomized Controlled Trial; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

BACKGROUND: Currently, there are no published randomized controlled trials evaluating the efficacy and safety of adjunctive antiepileptic therapy in idiopathic generalized epilepsy with myoclonic seizures. METHODS: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter trial assessed the efficacy and tolerability of adjunctive treatment with levetiracetam 3,000 mg/day in adolescents (>or=12 years) and adults (<or=65 years) with idiopathic generalized epilepsy, who experienced myoclonic seizures on >or=8 days during a prospective 8-week baseline period, despite antiepileptic monotherapy. The 8-week baseline period was followed by 4-week up-titration, 12-week evaluation, and 6-week down-titration/conversion periods. RESULTS: Of 122 patients randomized, 120 (levetiracetam, n = 60; placebo, n = 60) were evaluable. Diagnoses were either juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (93.4%) or juvenile absence epilepsy (6.6%). A reduction of >or=50% in the number of days/week with myoclonic seizures was seen in 58.3% of patients in the levetiracetam group and in 23.3% of patients in the placebo group (p < 0.001) during the treatment period. Levetiracetam-treated patients were more likely to respond to treatment than patients receiving placebo (OR = 4.77; 95% CI, 2.12 to 10.77; p < 0.001). Levetiracetam-treated patients had higher freedom from myoclonic seizures (25.0% vs 5.0%; p = 0.004) and all seizure types (21.7% vs 1.7%; p < 0.001) during the evaluation period. The only adverse events more frequent with levetiracetam were somnolence and neck pain. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that levetiracetam is an effective and well-tolerated adjunctive treatment for patients with previously uncontrolled idiopathic generalized epilepsy with myoclonic seizures.

Page last updated: 2008-06-22

-- advertisement -- The American Red Cross
 
Home | About Us | Contact Us | Site usage policy | Privacy policy

All Rights reserved - Copyright DrugLib.com, 2006-2017