Alva-Moncayo E, Sainos-Ramírez C, Rogel-Ortíz FJ, García-García R, García-Cuevas E, Ceja H, Rodríguez AF

Language: Spanish
References: 0
Page: 128-133
PDF size: 241.42 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Epilepsy management is still a problem in spite of recent therapeutic advances. Levetiracetam is a new antiepileptic that has been successfully used in refractory epilepsies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of levetiracetam as an add-on therapy in Mexican patients with refractory partial epilepsy. Methods: In an open-label multicenter trial, 70 patients from both genders, aged 12 to 60 years, were included, with a seizures frequency of 5 to 30 per month and who received at baseline 2 to 3 antiepileptics during at least 6 months prior to inclusion, at maximal therapeutic doses. Eight centers participated in the study, 4 included pediatric patients and the resting 4 centers in adult ages. Patients received doses ranging from 1,000 mg to 3,000 mg per day. The inventory QOLIE-10 was applied at baseline and at the end of the study to evaluate the impact on quality of life. Results: We included 30 patients aged 12 to 16 years, 17 aged 17 to 30 and 23 aged 31 to 60 years. In 50% was achieved a reduction in the frequency of seizures. In 17.5% of the adult patients and 76.1% of pediatric subjects (p = 0.001) it was possible to reduce difeat least one antiepileptic during follow-up. Ninety-five percent of patients showed a significant increment in quality of life scoring (p › 0.001), being the youngest patients those who observed the greatest benefit: 97%, 94% and 69.6% of the age groups 12 to 16, 17 to 30 and 31 to 60 years, respectively, reported an increment in the category of quality of life scores (homogeneity, p ‹ 0.001). In only one case suspension of levetiracetam was required due to intolerance. Conclusions: Levetiracetam as an add-on therapy in refractory partial epilepsy is useful, is associated with an improvement in quality of life, diminishes the frequency of crisis, reduces the number of antiepileptics and with this, it potentially lowers the frequency of adverse reactions associated with polytherapy.