• Magdolna Neuwirth, Judit Saracz, Márta Hegyi, Eva Paraicz, Katalin Kollár, Judit Móser, Beáta Rosdy, Agnes Herczegfalvi, and András Fogarasi.
• Magyar Református Egyház Bethesda Gyermekkórháza, Budapest. neuwirth.magda@bethesda.hu
• Ideggyogy Szemle. 2006 May 20; 59 (5-6): 179-82.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of levetiracetam in children with drug resistant epilepsy from a retrospective study.MethodsWe report the result of a study of 85 pediatric patients (mean 10.5 years, range: 1-24) with refractory generalized and focal epilepsy, who received levetiracetam as add-on treatment. The average duration of epilepsy was eight years, and the patient were treated with mean of 6.0 antiepileptic drugs before levetiracetam was introduced.ResultsTen patients (12%) became seizure-free, three (3%) responded with seizure reduction of more than 90%, 32 (38%) responded with seizure reduction of more than 50% following introduction of levetiracetam. No response to levetiracetam was reported in 34% (n: 29). Positive psychotropic effect was observed in 26 patient (30%). Mild to moderate side effects were reported in 11 patients (13%), consisting most frequently general behavioral changes, aggression, sleep disturbances, but they ceased after decreasing the dose of levetiracetam. Mental retardation was associated with poor response and associated with more side effects.ConclusionLevetiracetam is a well tolerated new antiepileptic drug that may effectively improve seizures control as an add-on drug in resistant epilepsy in childhood with good tolerability.

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