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Doi
Abstract
The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy, tolerability,
and safety of levetiracetam therapy in children and
adolescents with absence epilepsy. Twenty-one participants
(11 male, 10 female) with typical absence seizures were
enrolled in this prospective study from seven centres in Italy.
The mean age and age range at time of enrolment into the
study were 8 years 9 months (SD 0.9) and 5 years 1 month
to 13 years respectively. All patients were carefully evaluated
at 6 months from baseline, and 12 patients were also
re-evaluated at 12 months after the beginning of therapy with
levetiracetam. At the 6-month evaluation, out of 21 patients
studied, 11 were seizure free and one showed ‘decreased’
seizures (more than 50% reduction in seizures). A less than
50% reduction in seizures was observed in nine patients. At
the 12-month evaluation, 10 patients were completely seizure
free and two were seizure free with some anomalies in
electroencephalograms. Two patients who had shown no
improvement at 6 months had decreased seizures at the
second follow-up. Our results suggest that monotherapy with
levetiracetam could be effective and well tolerated in patients
with childhood absence epilepsy and juvenile absence
epilepsy. Prospective, large, long-term double-blind studies
are needed to confirm these findings
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