Pediatric Neurology
Volume 42, Issue 2 , Pages 86-92 , February 2010

Efficacy and Safety of Adjunctive Levetiracetam Therapy in Pediatric Intractable Epilepsy

  • Yun Jin Lee, MD
    • ,
  • Hoon-Chul Kang, MD, PhD
    • ,
  • Heung Dong Kim, MD, PhD
    • ,
  • Joon Soo Lee, MD, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationCommunications should be addressed to: Dr. Joon Soo Lee; Department of Pediatrics, Severance Children's Hospital; Yonsei University College of Medicine; 134, Shinchon-dong, Seodaemun-ku; Seoul 120-752, Republic of Korea.

Received 6 April 2009 ,Accepted 5 August 2009.

References 

  1. Callenbach PM, Arts WF, ten Houten R, et al. Add-on levetiracetam in children and adolescents with refractory epilepsy: results of an open-label multi-centre study. Eur J Paediatr Neurol. 2008;12:321–327
  2. Lynch BA, Lambeng N, Nocka K, et al. The synaptic vesicle protein SV2A is the binding site for the antiepileptic drug levetiracetam. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2004;101:9861–9866
  3. Patsalos PN. Pharmacokinetic profile of levetiracetam: toward ideal characteristics. Pharmacol Ther. 2000;85:77–85
  4. Pellock JM, Glauser TA, Bebin EM, et al. Pharmacokinetic study of levetiracetam in children. Epilepsia. 2001;42:1574–1579
  5. Opp J, Tuxhorn I, May T, et al. Levetiracetam in children with refractory epilepsy: a multicenter open label study in Germany. Seizure. 2005;14:476–484
  6. Grosso S, Cordelli DM, Franzoni E, et al. Efficacy and safety of levetiracetam in infants and young children with refractory epilepsy. Seizure. 2007;16:345–350
  7. Tan MJ, Appleton RE. Efficacy and tolerability of levetiracetam in children aged 10 years and younger: a clinical experience. Seizure. 2004;13:142–145
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  13. Krakow K, Walker M, Otoul C, Sander JW. Long-term continuation of levetiracetam in patients with refractory epilepsy. Neurology. 2001;56:1772–1774
  14. von Stuelpnagel C, Holthausen H, Kluger G. Long-term use of levetiracetam in patients with severe childhood-onset epilepsy. Eur J Paediatr Neurol. 2007;11:341–345
  15. Nicolson A, Lewis SA, Smith DF. A prospective analysis of the outcome of levetiracetam in clinical practice. Neurology. 2004;63:568–570
  16. Perry MS, Benatar M. Efficacy and tolerability of levetiracetam in children younger than 4 years: a retrospective review. Epilepsia. 2007;48:1123–1127
  17. Betts T, Waegemans T, Crawford P. A multicentre, double-blind, randomized, parallel group study to evaluate the tolerability and efficacy of two oral doses of levetiracetam, 2000 mg daily and 4000 mg daily, without titration in patients with refractory epilepsy. Seizure. 2000;9:80–87
  18. Privitera M. Efficacy of levetiracetam: a review of three pivotal clinical trials. Epilepsia. 2001;42(Suppl. 4):31–35
  19. Shorvon SD, Löwenthal A, Janz D, Bielen E, Loiseau P. European Levetiracetam Study Group. Multicenter double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of levetiracetam as add-on therapy in patients with refractory partial seizures. Epilepsia. 2000;41:1179–1186
  20. Cereghino JJ, Biton V, Abou-Khalil B, Dreifuss F, Gauer LJ, Leppik I. Levetiracetam for partial seizures: results of a double-blind, randomized clinical trial. Neurology. 2000;55:236–242
  21. Mula M, Trimble MR, Sander JW. Psychiatric adverse events in patients with epilepsy and learning disabilities taking levetiracetam. Seizure. 2004;13:55–57
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PII: S0887-8994(09)00391-9

doi: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2009.08.002

Pediatric Neurology
Volume 42, Issue 2 , Pages 86-92 , February 2010

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