Tolerability and dosing experience of intravenous levetiracetam in children and infants

Costas Michaelides, Ronald L. Thibert, Michelle J. Shapiro, Peter Kinirons, Tanya John, Dipti Manchharam, Elizabeth A. Thiele

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the use and tolerability of intravenous (IV) levetiracetam (LEV) in a pediatric cohort under 14 years of age. Methods: A retrospective analysis of the use of the IV formulation of LEV was performed for the first 9 months that it was available in our institution. Results: Overall, 118 infusions in 15 patients were performed during the period assessed. No adverse reactions were observed during the infusion phase of the IV formulation. Nine minor adverse reactions were observed during the rest of the hospitalization that were potentially related to the IV formulation. Three of these were decreases in the white cell counts, while the majority of the rest were behavioral adverse effects. The median starting dose in LEV naïve patients was 8.8 mg/kg (range = 5.0-50), with a median maintenance dose of 30.4 mg/kg/day for all patients (range = 5.0-92). The majority of these infusions (82/118) were in a subgroup of children under 4 years of age where the median maintenance dose was 28 mg/kg/day. Conclusion: IV LEV was very well tolerated in this cohort of pediatric patients including a subgroup of children under the age of 4 years.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)143-147
Number of pages5
JournalEpilepsy Research
Volume81
Issue number2-3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2008

Keywords

  • Children
  • Dosing
  • Infants
  • Intravenous
  • Levetiracetam
  • Tolerability

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