In 2006, intravenous levetiracetam received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for adjunctive treatment of partial onset seizures in adults with epilepsy, 16 years or older. We have established the safety, tolerability, and dosage of intravenous levetiracetam in children. This prospective study included 30 children (6 months to <15 years of age). Patients were administered a single dose of intravenous levetiracetam (50 mg/kg, maximal dose 2500 mg) over 15 minutes. A blood level of levetiracetam was performed 10 minutes after the infusion. The treated children's average age was 6.3 years (range 0.5-14.8 years). The mean levetiracetam level was 83.3 microg/mL (range 47-128 microg/mL). There were no serious adverse reactions. Minor reactions included sleepiness, fatigue, and restlessness. An apparent decrease in seizure frequency across all seizure types was noted. The dose of 50 mg/kg was well tolerated by the patients and is a safe, appropriate loading dose.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0883073809348795 | DOI Listing |
Neurol Sci
December 2024
Neurophysiopathology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
Introduction: Biallelic variants in QARS1, a house-keeping gene involved in protein synthesis, cause a rare encephalopathy classically characterized by severe developmental delay, drug-resistant neonatal-onset epilepsy, microcephaly, and brain atrophy. We aim to raise awareness on mild QARS1-related phenotypes describing a 6-year-old patient.
Case Description: Epilepsy onset occurred at 3.
Neurotherapeutics
December 2024
Department of Neurology and Neuroscience Brain Institute University of Virginia, School of Medicine, Health Sciences Center, Box 801330, Charlottesville, VA 22908-1330, USA. Electronic address:
Generalized Convulsive status epilepticus (SE) is a neurological emergency because prolonged convulsions can cause respiratory compromise and neuronal injury. Compromised GABA-mediated inhibition is a defining feature of SE, and many current therapies are benzodiazepines, which are allosteric modulators of GABA-A receptors. Many patients with medically refractory epilepsy are at risk for SE.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBrain Dev
December 2024
Working Group for the Revision of Treatment Guidelines for Pediatric Status Epilepticus/Convulsive Status Epilepticus, Japanese Society of Child Neurology, Tokyo, Japan; Committee for Integration of Guidelines, Japanese Society of Child Neurology, Tokyo, Japan; Division of Child Neurology, Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago, Japan.
BMC Neurol
November 2024
Department of Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
Background: Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a severe opportunistic brain disease caused by lytic JC polyomavirus (JCPyV) replication in oligodendrocytes. Although JCPyV infection is common in the general population, PML almost exclusively occurs in patients immunocompromised due to untreated HIV/AIDS, haematological malignancies, primary immunodeficiencies, solid organ transplantation, or immunomodulatory treatment of autoimmune diseases. There is no effective antiviral treatment, and recovery depends on immune reconstitution.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCurr Drug Saf
November 2024
Department of Pharmacology, SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Kattankulathur, Tamilnadu, India.
Background: Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) is an infrequent yet severe mucocutaneous reaction that involves less than 10% of the Body Surface Area (BSA). It is predominantly induced by certain medications, including anticonvulsants (e.g.
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