[Clinical efficacy of the novel antiepileptic agent levetiracetam: evaluation in patients with localization-related epilepsy].

In this retrospective study, we evaluated the safety and efficacy of levetiracetam (LEV) as an antiepileptic drug by using data in our hospital database from October 2010, when LEV became available in Japan, through August 2011. Data from patients aged 16 years or more (n=132) with localization-related epilepsy (n=112) and generalized epilepsy (n=19) were reviewed. Among patients with localization-related epilepsy, 53.6% showed a greater than 50% reduction in seizure frequency compared with the pretreatment baseline, and 28.6% of them became seizure free during the treatment period. Adverse events were reported in 27.3% of patients and caused discontinuation of LEV in 10.6%. The most frequent adverse events were somnolence (14.4%), irritability or aggressiveness (6.1%), and depression (4.5%). However, most of the adverse events were of mild to moderate severity. More than 80% of patients continued LEV treatment. The frequency of adverse events and discontinuation rate after LEV treatment were not associated with the starting dose (1,000 mg/day or less). LEV was well tolerated and efficacious as an adjunctive therapy for localization-related epilepsy.