Intravenous levetiracetam for treatment of seizures in term and preterm neonates

• Published in: Journal of pediatric neurosciences Vol. 15; no. 1; pp. 15 - 20
• Main Authors: Karaoglu, Pakize, Hız, Semra, İşcan, Burçin, Polat, Ayşe, Ayanoğlu, Müge, Duman, Nuray, Yiş', Uluç
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd 01-01-2020; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd; Wolters Kluwer - Medknow
• Subjects: Age; Birth weight; Blood; Convulsions & seizures; Drug dosages; Electroencephalography; Etiology; FDA approval; Hemorrhage; Hypoxia; Intensive care; Metabolism; Newborn babies; Original; Patients; treatment; neonatal convulsions; neonates; neonatal seizures; Levetiracetam
• ISSN: 1817-1745; 1998-3948
• DOI: 10.4103/jpn.JPN_66_19

Context: Seizures are the most frequent neurological disturbance in the neonatal period, and there are no evidence-based guidelines for the treatment of neonatal seizures. Here we report a study on the use of levetiracetam as second-line therapy in the treatment of seizures in term and preterm neonates. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of levetiracetam for seizures of term and preterm neonates. Settings and Design: We retrospectively analyzed data of the patients who had seizures and who were treated with levetiracetam as an add-on therapy to phenobarbital during the neonatal period. Statistical Analysis: The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software, version 15.0 (SPSS, Chicago, Illinois), was used for statistical analysis. Continuous variables were expressed as mean values and standard deviations. Results: Thirty-six patients (8 term and 28 preterm) received levetiracetam. Mean dose of levetiracetam was 31.67 ± 14.83mg/kg/day. Twenty-five of the patients (69.4%) were seizure free with levetiracetam treatment. Electroencephalography recordings improved in 28 (77.8%) of the patients after levetiracetam. No severe adverse effects were observed. Conclusion: Our data suggest that levetiracetam may be a safe and effective treatment for neonatal seizures, which are unresponsive to phenobarbital.