Safety of non‐therapeutic levetiracetam ingestions—a poison center based study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Very limited data is available regarding the safety of levetiracetam in cases of unintentional or intentional ingestions. METHODS: All cases of single agent ingestions of levetiracetam, excluding adverse drug reactions (ADRs), reported to 61 American poison control centers during 2000-2009 were identified. Demographics, dose, symptoms, and medical outcome were abstracted from each case record. RESULTS: A total of 222 cases of single agent levetiracetam ingestions were reported during the study period. Median age was 14.0 years (IQR: 2.0 years, 39.0 years) and 51.8% were female. In 207 of 222 cases (93.2%) medical outcome was known. No deaths were reported and only 1 (0.5%) case resulted in a major outcome and 3 (1.4%) cases resulted in moderate outcomes. Minor, minimal, or no effects were reported in 198 (89.2%) cases. In 27 (12.2%) cases, ingestion was intentional and in 192 (86.5%) unintentional. There were no major outcomes and only one case (1.4%) of moderate outcome in 74 children aged 6 years or less. All ingestions in these children were unintentional. CONCLUSIONS: In this study with a limited number of cases, intentional and unintentional ingestions of levetiracetam were safe in the majority of cases.