BEHAVIORAL AND EMOTIONAL EFFECTS OF LEVETIRACETAM IN CHILDREN WITH INTRACTABLE EPILEPSY
Abstract number :
1.160
Submission category :
Year :
2002
Submission ID :
1473
Source :
www.aesnet.org
Presentation date :
12/7/2002 12:00:00 AM
Published date :
Dec 1, 2002, 06:00 AM
Authors :
Mary C. Gustafson, Frank J. Ritter, Michael D. Frost, Vicky Karney, Carol Hoskin. Minnesota Epilepsy Group, PA[reg], of United Hospital and Children[ssquote]s Hospitals and Clinics, St. Paul, MN; Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Neurology, Univ
RATIONALE: This objective of this study is to review and analyze the impact of levetiracetam (LEV) on the emotions and behaviors of children with intractable epilepsy.
METHODS: Medical records of 115 consecutive children ages 1- to 11-years who had been treated with LEV for intractable epilepsy were reviewed for: 1) demographics, 2) history of behavior problems, 3) history of previous medications causing behavioral or emotional problems, and 4) changes in behavior or emotional status following treatment with LEV.
RESULTS: There were 63 children with a history of behavioral or emotional problems. After initiating treatment with LEV, parents reported that 18 (29%) had worsening of behavioral problems, 25 (40%) had no change and 20 (31%) reported improvements in behavior. Sixty-five percent of this group had a history of behavioral problems caused by previous treatments. Of the 52 children with no history of behavioral or emotional problems, 42 (80.8%) were unchanged, 5 (9.6%) were reported as doing better, and 5 (9.6%) developed behavioral or emotional problems. Thirty percent of those developing problems in this group had a history of behavioral problems caused by previous treatments. The most common problems reported by both groups were: aggressiveness 20 (87%) and oppositional behaviors 16 (70%). Emotional problems were worse in all children with exacerbations of behavior, and were isolated in 3 (2.6%) of the children.
CONCLUSIONS: A history of behavioral and emotional problems appear to predispose children to an exacerbation of these problems when treated with LEV. However, many parents of children in this group (31%) also reported improvements. The children whose behavior worsened were also more likely to have a history of previous treatments causing similar problems (65%). Ten percent of the group of children with no history of behavioral or emotional problems developed these side-effects from treatment with LEV.
(Disclosure: Honoraria - Yes.)