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. 2017 Sep;14(3):2015-2020.
doi: 10.3892/etm.2017.4738. Epub 2017 Jul 9.

Clinical characteristics and electroencephalogram analysis of levetiracetam in the treatment of children with febrile seizure recurrence

Xue-Chao Li  1 , Ling-Ling Lu  2 , Jian-Zhong Wang  1 , Miao Wang  1 , Yu Gao  1 , Ye-Xin Lin  3 , Zhong-Hou Han  1
Affiliations

Clinical characteristics and electroencephalogram analysis of levetiracetam in the treatment of children with febrile seizure recurrence

Xue-Chao Li et al. Exp Ther Med. 2017 Sep.

Abstract

Febrile seizure is the most common neurologic disorder in infants and children. This study aimed to elaborate safe and effective therapy for preventing FS recurrence by levetiracetam (LEV). A prospective study was performed in two groups of children, the no treatment group (n=51, 24.1±9.0 months) and the LEV treatment group (n=45, 23.3±8.9 months). The findings demonstrated that a significant difference (P<0.01) was observed between the no treatment group 51.0% (26/51) and LEV treatment group 15.5% (7/45) in terms of FS recurrence after 50 weeks. FS recurrence/fever episode was 12.4% (12/97) in the LEV treatment group and 51.8% (57/110) in the no treatment group. Furthermore, LEV administration significantly improved (P<0.001) epileptiform + nonspecific EEG abnormalities (17.8%; 8/45), as compared with the no treatment group (68.6%; 35/51). In conclusion, LEV could function as an effective therapeutic agent for the prevention of FS recurrence and reducing the frequency of fever episodes. Furthermore, LEV administration significantly improved nonspecific EEG abnormalities, which may be used as a clinical monitoring index for LEV treatment in patients with FS.

Keywords: electroencephalogram; febrile seizure; levetiracetam.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Study medication. Patients with FS in the LEV treatment group received oral LEV at a dose of 15–30 mg/kg twice daily at the onset of fever (≥38°) for 1 week (therapy period), followed by a dose increase or decrease every 2 days until complete withdrawal at the beginning of the second week (observation period). LEV was effective in all children after the first dose. LEV, levetiracetam; FS, febrile seizure.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
LEV reduces the risk of FS recurrence. (A) Cumulative incidence of recurrent FS in the no treatment group and the LEV treatment group during the experimental period. (B) FS recurrence or free frequency/fever episode in the no treatment group and the LEV treatment group during the experimental period. LEV, levetiracetam; FS, febrile seizure.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
LEV administration improves EEG abnormalities. EEGs were performed at (A) 1–2 days (week 0) after patients became afebrile and at (B) week 20 and (C) week 50 after levetiracetam administration in patients with febrile seizure. EEG, electroencephalogram.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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