A Retrospective Research to Assess the Usage of Levetiracetam During Pregnancy in Epileptic Mothers
- 1. Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, ICARE Institute of Medical Sciences and Research & Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, Hospital, Haldia, West Bengal, India.
Description
Aim: The aim of the present study to determine the levetiracetam use during pregnancy in women with epilepsy. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in the Department of Pharmacology, ICARE Institute of Medical Sciences and Research & Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, Hospital, Haldia, West Bengal, India for 1 year. All female cases of >18 years epileptic women with pregnancy that were included in this study. 100 women were found to have active epilepsy and were using AED before conception and through the whole pregnancy (WWAE). The other group included 100 pregnant women, in which the mother reported having seizures 5 years or more before conceiving but no need for AED at the time of pregnancy were termed non-active epilepsy cases. Results: The mean age of patients was 24.5 years (range 18–42 years). Majority of our women (73) were multiparous (73%), 65 women (65%) were from low or rural stratum. Complete outcome data were available for 100 pregnancies. Of these 45 pregnancies had been exposed to levetiracetam in monotherapy and 55 had been exposed to Levetiracetam in combination with at least one other AED. Mean gestational age at enrolment was 14.5 weeks (standard deviation 10.55 range 5 to 38 weeks). We observed 58 (58%) women with generalized epilepsy (absence or myoclonic seizures), 37 (37%), women with focal epilepsy (localization related) and 6% with unspecified epilepsy. 61% of patients did not experience any change in seizure frequency, 20% experienced a change for better. Conclusion: Pregnancy course is uncomplicated and neonatal outcome is good in the majority of women with active epilepsy with proper antenatal and neurologic care. Levetiracetam taken in monotherapy can be considered as safer alternative for women with epilepsy of childbearing age.
Abstract (English)
Aim: The aim of the present study to determine the levetiracetam use during pregnancy in women with epilepsy. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in the Department of Pharmacology, ICARE Institute of Medical Sciences and Research & Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, Hospital, Haldia, West Bengal, India for 1 year. All female cases of >18 years epileptic women with pregnancy that were included in this study. 100 women were found to have active epilepsy and were using AED before conception and through the whole pregnancy (WWAE). The other group included 100 pregnant women, in which the mother reported having seizures 5 years or more before conceiving but no need for AED at the time of pregnancy were termed non-active epilepsy cases. Results: The mean age of patients was 24.5 years (range 18–42 years). Majority of our women (73) were multiparous (73%), 65 women (65%) were from low or rural stratum. Complete outcome data were available for 100 pregnancies. Of these 45 pregnancies had been exposed to levetiracetam in monotherapy and 55 had been exposed to Levetiracetam in combination with at least one other AED. Mean gestational age at enrolment was 14.5 weeks (standard deviation 10.55 range 5 to 38 weeks). We observed 58 (58%) women with generalized epilepsy (absence or myoclonic seizures), 37 (37%), women with focal epilepsy (localization related) and 6% with unspecified epilepsy. 61% of patients did not experience any change in seizure frequency, 20% experienced a change for better. Conclusion: Pregnancy course is uncomplicated and neonatal outcome is good in the majority of women with active epilepsy with proper antenatal and neurologic care. Levetiracetam taken in monotherapy can be considered as safer alternative for women with epilepsy of childbearing age.
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Dates
- Accepted
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2021-04-19
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References
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