Levetiracetam to Prevent Post-Traumatic Epilepsy

Summary

Head injury is the cause of approximately 5% of all epilepsy in the US. Past attempts at preventing epilepsy by treatment with older antiepileptic drugs have been unsuccessful. Levetiracetam is a novel AED with potent antiepileptogenic properties in animal models of epilepsy. It has a favorable side effect and pharmacokinetic profile. It is therefore a strong candidate for a clinical trial of epilepsy prevention following traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, there has been no experience in administering levetiracetam rapidly to individuals with acute TBI. The investigators propose to initiate the evaluation of levetiracetam in prevention of post-traumatic epilepsy by determining the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and feasibility of acute and chronic administration of levetiracetam to individuals with head injury with a high risk for developing post-traumatic epilepsy. Further, the investigators will follow subjects for 2 years after injury in order to obtain pilot data about effect of levetiracetam on PTE. This pilot study is the first step in evaluation of levetiracetam in prevention of post-traumatic epilepsy.

Timeline

Start

2005-04

Primary completion

2008-06

Completion

2010-02

Publications

• Results Pearl PL, McCarter R, McGavin CL, Yu Y, Sandoval F, Trzcinski S, Atabaki SM, Tsuchida T, van den Anker J, He J, Klein P. Results of phase II levetiracetam trial following acute head injury in children at risk for posttraumatic epilepsy. Epilepsia. 2013 Sep;54(9):e135-7. doi: 10.1111/epi.12326. Epub 2013 Jul 22.
• Results Klein P, Herr D, Pearl PL, Natale J, Levine Z, Nogay C, Sandoval F, Trzcinsky S, Atabaki SM, Tsuchida T, van den Anker J, Soldin SJ, He J, McCarter R. Results of phase II pharmacokinetic study of levetiracetam for prevention of post-traumatic epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav. 2012 Aug;24(4):457-61. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2012.05.011. Epub 2012 Jul 7.
• Results Klein P, Herr D, Pearl PL, Natale J, Levine Z, Nogay C, Sandoval F, Trzcinski S, Atabaki SM, Tsuchida T, van den Anker J, Soldin SJ, He J, McCarter R. Results of phase 2 safety and feasibility study of treatment with levetiracetam for prevention of posttraumatic epilepsy. Arch Neurol. 2012 Oct;69(10):1290-5. doi: 10.1001/archneurol.2012.445.

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Indications