DrugLib.com — Drug Information Portal

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



Efficacy of Keppra for Neonatal Seizures

Information source: Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this data on August 23, 2015
Link to the current ClinicalTrials.gov record.

Condition(s) targeted: Neonatal Seizures

Intervention: levetiracetam (Drug)

Phase: N/A

Status: Terminated

Sponsored by: Stephanie Merhar, MD

Official(s) and/or principal investigator(s):
Stephanie L Merhar, MD, Principal Investigator, Affiliation: Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati

Summary

The purpose of this research study is to learn how well the medication levetiracetam (Keppra) works to treat seizures in full term and premature babies. Levetiracetam is commonly used in babies with seizures at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, especially if the seizures have not been stopped by other medicines. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of levetiracetam for older children (over the age of 4) but not for infants. Even though it is not FDA approved for this age group, doctors at Cincinnati Children's use the medicine as a second drug in babies whose seizures are not stopped by phenobarbital. Some doctors are concerned that phenobarbital is not the best medicine to treat seizures in babies, so researchers are trying to study other medicines. In this study, the investigators are looking at how well levetiracetam stops or slows down seizures in babies. The investigators are also studying the blood levels of levetiracetam to learn more about how the medicine is processed by the body and what level of medicine in the body works to stop seizures. The investigators are checking labs before and after giving the dose to make sure the medication does not cause any changes in blood counts, kidney function, or liver function. The investigators are following all of the babies in the study after hospital discharge to see if the parents notice any side effects of the medication. Babies in the study will come back to the High Risk Follow Up Clinic at Cincinnati Children's at 6 months of age for a visit with a neurologist and a neonatologist and developmental testing.

Clinical Details

Official title: Safety, Tolerability, and Efficacy of Levetiracetam for Neonatal Seizures

Study design: Observational Model: Cohort, Time Perspective: Prospective

Primary outcome: Efficacy

Secondary outcome:

Pharmacokinetics

Safety

Tolerability

Eligibility

Minimum age: N/A. Maximum age: 30 Days. Gender(s): Both.

Criteria:

Inclusion criteria:

- Gestational age ≥ 35 weeks

- Postnatal age ≤ 30 days

- Birth weight ≥ 2000 grams

- Clinical or electrographic seizures of any etiology requiring treatment with an

antiepileptic medication (as per the judgment of the clinician caring for the patient)

- Parental consent obtained

Exclusion criteria:

- Infants with renal insufficiency indicated by serum creatinine > 2. 0 (as part of

pre-screening, labs obtained as part of routine care will be reviewed. Infants who have not had a creatinine drawn will have one drawn as part of the study after consent is obtained. If the baby requires levetiracetam emergently before the results of the creatinine are back, the dose will still be given and levels will still be drawn as per the protocol.

- Infants who have previously received levetiracetam

- Parents refuse consent

Locations and Contacts

Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45215, United States
Additional Information

Starting date: November 2011
Last updated: April 17, 2013

Page last updated: August 23, 2015

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

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