Levetiracetam versus carbamazepine monotherapy for partial epilepsy in children less than 16 years of age

Journal of Child Neurology
Scott PerryMichael Benatar

Abstract

Newer antiepileptic drugs are reported to have better side-effect profiles than traditional antiepileptics, although the evidence to this effect and their efficacy is limited. We compare the efficacy and tolerability of levetiracetam and carbamazepine monotherapy in children with partial epilepsy < or = 16 years of age. We identified 86 patients (66 levetiracetam, 20 carbamazepine) treated with initial monotherapy for partial epilepsy and followed for > or = 6 months. Efficacy was based on the number of patients achieving seizure freedom of > or = 6 months. Tolerability was based on parent-and patient-reported side effects. Forty-eight (73%) subjects on levetiracetam and 13 (65%) subjects on carbamazepine achieved 6 months of seizure freedom. A total of 70% of patients on carbamazepine and 45% of those on levetiracetam had at least 1 adverse event while on monotherapy (P = .07). Levetiracetam and carbamazepine monotherapy demonstrate similar efficacy for treatment of partial epilepsy and are well tolerated in children.

References

Mar 26, 2003·Seizure : the Journal of the British Epilepsy Association·Jeffrey Cohen
Feb 12, 2005·Journal of Child Neurology·Mark W Koukkari, Edward J Guarino
Jan 20, 2006·Seizure : the Journal of the British Epilepsy Association·Angelo LabateAldo Quattrone
Jan 6, 2007·Seizure : the Journal of the British Epilepsy Association·A VerrottiF Chiarelli
Feb 7, 2007·Neurology·M J BrodieUNKNOWN Levetiracetam Monotherapy Study Group
Apr 18, 2007·Pediatric Neurology·Divya S KhuranaAgustin Legido

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Citations

Mar 6, 2013·Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment·Justine Cormier, Catherine J Chu
May 22, 2010·Paediatric Drugs·Alberto VerrottiPaolo Curatolo
Feb 15, 2016·Seizure : the Journal of the British Epilepsy Association·Hasan TekgülNihal Olgaç Dündar
Jul 9, 2010·Pediatric Neurology·Pamela D ReiterRobert J Valuck
Jan 23, 2016·Epilepsy Research and Treatment·Swaroop Hassan SureshNithin Kumar
Jul 2, 2014·Seizure : the Journal of the British Epilepsy Association·Elisabeth HalmaMarian Majoie
May 28, 2015·CNS Drugs·Amerins WeijenbergPetra M C Callenbach
Mar 26, 2019·Brain : a Journal of Neurology·Mark A KramerCatherine J Chu

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