Introduction: Levetiracetam (LEV) is an antiepileptic drug recently approved in monotherapy. AIM. To describe the characteristics and the outcome of a population of patients treated with LEV in monotherapy in clinical practice.
Patients and methods: A retrospective analysis of the epilepsy patients database of two epilepsy Units was performed. In both centers, an epilepsy patients database is routinely filled during daily clinical practice. All the patients in whom LEV was used in monotherapy up to December 2005, and received at least one dose of the drug in monotherapy were included. Monotherapy was achieved from onset or after withdrawal of other concomitant antiepileptic drugs. It was administered with a schedule depending of the renal function. The following data were analyzed: demographic characteristics, follow-up, epilepsy type, previous seizure frequency, maintenance dose, efficacy and side effects.
Results: 62 patients with a mean age of 53.67 years (range: 19-94 years) were included. The patients were followed a mean of 12.4 months, with a minimum of three months. Epilepsy type was mainly partial (83.8%) and symptomatic (54.8%). The mean previous number of seizures was 8.6 and the mean maintenance dose was 1,314 mg (range: 250-2,000 mg). 58 patients (93%) were considered responders (at least a 50% reduction of seizures) with 71% of them free of seizures. Side effects were observed in 19 patients. There were 9 (14.5%) withdrawals (5 because of side effects, 1 death not related to drug use and 3 non-responders).
Conclusions: LEV was used in monotherapy in a population relatively old and no refractory, when proved efficient it showed few side effects.