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Use of brivaracetam in genetic generalized epilepsies and for acute, intravenous treatment of absence status epilepticus
- Source :
- Epilepsia. 59:1549-1556
- Publication Year :
- 2018
- Publisher :
- Wiley, 2018.
-
Abstract
- Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate effectiveness, retention, and tolerability of brivaracetam (BRV) in genetic generalized epilepsies (GGE) in clinical practice. Methods A multicenter, retrospective cohort study recruiting all patients that started BRV in 2016 and 2017. Results A total of 61 patients (mean age = 29.8, range = 9-90 years, 41 female [67%]) were treated with BRV. They were difficult to control, with 2.4 failed antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in the past, taking 1.9 AEDs on average at baseline. The length of exposure to BRV ranged from 7 days to 24 months, with a mean retention time of 7.9 months, resulting in a total exposure time to BRV of 483 months. The retention rate was 82% at 3 months and 69% at 6 months. Efficacy at 3 months was 36% (50% responder rate), with 25% seizure-free for 3 months. Patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy showed a responder rate of 60%, with 40% being free of any seizures. Long-term 50% responder rate was present in 17 patients (28%; 11 seizure-free [18%]) for >6 months and in 14 patients (23%; 10 seizure-free [16%]) for >12 months. Treatment-emergent adverse events were observed in 26% of the patients, with the most common being somnolence, ataxia, and psychobehavioral adverse events. Use of intravenous BRV with bolus injection of 200-300 mg in two females with absence status epilepticus was well tolerated, but did not result in cessation of status epilepticus. Significance Use of BRV in GGE is well tolerated, and 50% responder rates are similar to those observed in the regulatory trials for focal epilepsies. An immediate switch from levetiracetam (LEV) to BRV at a ratio of 15:1 is feasible. The occurrence of psychobehavioral adverse events seems less prominent than under LEV, and a switch to BRV can be considered in patients with LEV-induced adverse events.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Male
medicine.medical_specialty
Adolescent
Status epilepticus
Brivaracetam
Cohort Studies
Young Adult
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Internal medicine
Product Surveillance, Postmarketing
medicine
Humans
030212 general & internal medicine
Child
Adverse effect
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
business.industry
Retrospective cohort study
Middle Aged
medicine.disease
Pyrrolidinones
Treatment Outcome
Neurology
Tolerability
Injections, Intravenous
Anticonvulsants
Epilepsy, Generalized
Female
Neurology (clinical)
Levetiracetam
medicine.symptom
Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy
business
Myoclonus
030217 neurology & neurosurgery
medicine.drug
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 00139580
- Volume :
- 59
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Epilepsia
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....192c648187d5ae56363961286189dee0