Effect of levetiracetam on nocturnal sleep in patients with epilepsy.

Aim Of The Study: The purpose of our study was the evaluation of the effect of 2,000 mg levetiracetam monotherapy over a 3-month period on nocturnal sleep in patients with epilepsy.

Clinical Rationale: Levetiracetam (LEV) is a novel antiepileptic drug with a unique anticonvulsive mechanism of action. It has been commonly reported to cause sleep disruption and daytime sleepiness in epilepsy patients.

Levetiracetam effectiveness as add-on therapy in Bulgarian patients with drug-resistant epilepsy.

Introduction: There are no reliable prospective studies on the effectiveness of LEV in Bulgarian adult patients with drug-resistant epilepsy.

Aim: The study aimed at conducting an open, prospective study on various aspects of levetiracetam (LEV) effectiveness in Bulgarian patients with drug-resistant epilepsy.

Materials And Methods: The study was performed with patients with epilepsy recruited from those attending the Department of Neurology at the University Hospital in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

Seizure frequency and severity: How really important are they for the quality of life of patients with refractory epilepsy.

Introduction: The data in the scientific literature about the significance of seizure severity and frequency for the quality of life (QOL) of patients with refractory epilepsy (RE) are contradictory.

Objective: Our objective was to assess the impact of the seizure severity and frequency on the QOL of Bulgarian patients with RE.

Materials And Methods: A total of 70 patients with RE were studied by examining the medical documentation and seizure diaries.

Validation of the Bulgarian version of the quality of life in epilepsy inventory (QOLIE-89).

Introduction: The quality of life in epilepsy inventory (QOLIE-89) is the most comprehensive and widely used instrument for assessment of the quality of life of patients with epilepsy.

Aim: To prove that the Bulgarian version of QOLIE-89 shows good reliability and validity.

Patients And Methods: The study included 35 patients with refractory epilepsy: 20 women (57.

Pseudoresistance in patients with epilepsy--characteristics and determining factors.

Introduction: In pseudorefractory epilepsy (20% of the cases diagnosed with refractory epilepsy) the factors responsible for triggering the seizures are extraneous to epilepsy and the seizures can be controlled after diagnostic and therapeutic re-evaluation.

Aim: To determine the factors causing development of pseudoresistance in patients with epilepsy.

Patients And Methods: Detailed case histories of 191 patients with a diagnosis of drug-resistant epilepsy were collected; the medical records were analyzed retrospectively.

Depressivity, anxiety and quality of life in patients with refractory epilepsy.

Introduction: Depressive and anxiety disorders are very often comorbid with refractory epilepsy.

Aim: To determine the impact of depressivity and anxiety on some aspects of the quality of life of patients with refractory epilepsy.

Patients And Methods: The present open prospective study included 94 patients (67 women) with refractory epilepsy (mean age 42 years) who were categorised according to their medical history, individual clinical parameters and results of paraclinical studies.