Preliminary Study On The Efficacy And Safety Of Levtiracetam In Infant With Epilepsy-with Analysis On70Clinical Cases And Review Of The Related Literature Attached

Purpose:The aim of this retrospective study is to preliminary evaluate theefficacy and safety of levetiracetam therapy in infant with epilepsy.Methods:We collected70children with infant epilepsy diagnosis in theDepartment of Neurology of Chongqing Children’s Hospital from May2010to February2012. All of them took levetiracetam mono-therapy oradjunctive therapy. We investigate by self-controlled and retrospectiveresearch. There are70patients received levetiracetam therapy, aging fromone month to one year old. According to the medication, the patients hadbeen divided into mono-therapy and adjunctive therapy group. and therewere39patients received mono-therapy and31patients received adjunctivetherapy. According to the seizure type, the patients had been divided into partial seizure group and generalized seizure group. and12patients inpartial seizure group and58patients in generalized seizure group.Levtiracetam was initially administered in a dose of7.7-33.3mg/kg/d, andthe dose was increased to a mean of28.7mg/kg/d. The patients had takenlevetiracetam therapy7months after initial medication. We observed theseizure frequency change, seizure situation, side effect and change of EEG.Results:During the follow-up, there were5patients loss to follow-up and3patients died. At study endpoint,26patients (40.00%) became seizure-free,21patients (32.30%) got at least50%reduction in seizure,18patients(27.70%) had seizure reduction less than50%, even some patients weremore serious. In mono-therapy,83.33%of patients got responder and16.67%of patients unmodified or worsening, while those of adjunctivetherapy group were58.62%and41.38%respectively. And there was asignificant difference between two groups. In the partial seizure group,81.81%of patients got responder and the18.18%of patients unmodified orworsening, while those of generalized seizure group were70.37%and29.63%. And there was no significant difference between partial andgeneralized seizure group. During the follow-up, EEG had been checked by30patients.19patients got improved in EEG and10patients unmodified oreven worsening. During the study,22patients had discontinued Lev therapy for many reasons.77.27%of patients discontinued in one to six month and22.73%of patients in7-34month. Adverse reaction were reported by14of65patients (21.54%). We observed adverse reaction like anorexia and sleepdisorders in early. Three (4.61%) of65patients discontinued therapies forthe adverse reaction, but no death for the adverse reaction.Conclusions:(1) The levetiracetam mono-therapy and adjunctive therapy are botheffective in infant with epilepsy;(2) Levetiracetam therapy is effective for both partial and generalizedseizure;(3) It is worth using levetiracetam in infant epilepsy for its goodtolerance, high retention rate, and mild adverse reaction.