Arican P, et al. - The intention of the authors was to gauge the efficacy, tolerability and safety of levetiracetam monotherapy in the management of different seizure types in children with epilepsy under the age of 2. Findings revealed that levetiracetam was effective in both focal and generalized epilepsy. It was deduced that levetiracetam was an effective, well tolerated and safe agent for the treatment of a variety of seizure types and etiologies noted in infants.

Methods

• Eligible candidates included children with a diagnosis of epilepsy from January 2014 to January 2017.
• The inclusion criteria constituted patients of age less than 2 years at the time levetiracetam was initiated as initial monotherapy and to be followed clinically for at least 6 months.

Results

• A total of 61 (66%) patients were seizure free among the 92 enrollees.
• As per the results, 58% patients (31 of 53) with focal epilepsy were seizure free and 77% (30 of 39) generalized epilepsy were seizure free.
• Levetiracetam monotherapy demonstrated effectiveness in both focal and generalized epilepsy.
• In patients with unknown etiologies (p=.004), levetiracetam monotherapy was proved to be substantially more effective.
• Data disclosed prominently higher seizure freedom rate under levetiracetam monotherapy in patients with normal psychomotor development (p=0.000).
• It was determined that the seizure freedom rate under levetiracetam monotherapy was markedly higher in subjects with unknown etiologies and normal psychomotor development.
• The strongest predictor of seizure control under levetiracetam monotherapy was discovered to be the normal psychomotor development (OR = 6; 95% CI = 2.3-16.0; p < 0.001).
• Irritability was found among 5 children (1%).
• Researchers did not discover any hematological or biochemical, or behavioral adverse side effects in any children, with the exception of irritability.
• Discontinuation of levetiracetam therapy due to treatment-related side effects was not noted in any patients.