Abstracts

Rationale: Keppra XR - Extended release (levetiracetam extended-release tablets) recently became available for use as an add-on to other antiepileptic treatments for people with partial onset seizures who are 16 years of age and older in September 2008. There are few data about its efficacy and tolerability at the present time. We retrospectively analyzed data from epilepsy patients treated with Keppra XR in our Neurology clinic. Methods: In this retrospective evaluation, we acquired patient data from electronic medical records of epilepsy patients seen in the Neurology clinic at the Scott & White Hospital/ Texas A& M health Science Center , Temple , TX. Results: We retrospectively analyzed 20 epilepsy patients who received Keppra XR with dose ranging from 500 - 4000 mg per day. Keppra XR was used as standard once a day dosing. The age range was 15 to 74 years. There were 12 ( 60%) females and 8 ( 40 %) males. 16 ( 80 %) patients have partial and 4 ( 20 %) have generalized epilepsy. In 13 ( 65%) patients Keppra XR was used as monotherapy and in 7 ( 35 %) as adjunctive therapy. 13 ( 65%) patients were switched from Keppra IR to Keppra XR because of compliance issues and breakthough seizures on generic Levetiracetum. In 6 patient 1:1 switch was made. In 2 patients, the dose was increased to achieve better control of seizures . In 6 patients improvement was seen with the decrease dose of Keppra XR as compared to Keppra IR. In 17 ( 85 %) patients , there was favorable response to Keppra XR in terms of efficacy . No major side-effects were reported. However, Keppra XR was tapered in 3 ( 15%) patients. In 1 patient because of increase frequency of seizures and the other two because of dizziness and mood problems. Conclusions: Good efficacy and tolerability of Keppra XR was seen in our epilepsy population. From our limited retrospective analysis it was also seen that Keppra XR was also found to be effective as monotherapy.