High‐dose intravenous levetiracetam for acute seizure exacerbation in children with intractable epilepsy

Abstract

We review our experience with high-dose intravenous levetiracetam (IV-LEV) for acute seizure exacerbations in nine children with medically intractable epilepsy. All children had acute repetitive seizures-while on chronic antiepileptic drugs-that either led to hospitalization (eight) or occurred during hospitalization (one), and received doses of IV-LEV of 150 mg/kg/day or greater, with a mean dose of 228 +/- 48 mg/kg/day. Eight of nine children had resolution of the acute repetitive seizures. Seizure frequency was reduced to less than baseline in seven children (seizure-free in two, >/=80% reduction in four, and 50% reduction in one). Except for one child with increased seizures, IV-LEV was well tolerated in all children without complications.