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Volume 9
Journal of Neurology and Neuroscience
ISSN: 2171-6625
Page 24
JOINT EVENT
July 23-24, 2018 Birmingham, UK
&
24
th
International Conference on
Neuroscience and Neurochemistry
26
th
Edition of International Conference on
Clinical Psychology and Neuroscience
Achilleas Attilakos et al., J Neurol Neurosci 2018, Volume 9
DOI: 10.21767/2171-6625-C2-011
Effect of levetiracetam monotherapy on cardiovascular risk factors in children with epilepsy: A
prospective study
Achilleas Attilakos
1
, Argiris Dinopoulos
1
, Maria Paschalidou
1
, Maria Tsirouda
1
, Alexia Prasouli
2
and
Anastasia Garoufi
3
1
Attikon University General Hospital, Greece
2
Institute of Child Health, Greece
3
Panagiotis and Aglaia Kyriakou Children’s Hospital, Greece
Statement of the Problem:
Long-term treatment with some older antiepileptic drugs, including sodium valproate and
carbamazepine, may lead to hyperhomocysteinemia or dyslipidemia. Levetiracetam (LEV), a newer broad spectrum
antiepileptic agent, appears to be well tolerated with mild adverse effects. However, in contrast with the older antiepileptic
drugs, the effect of LEV on cardiovascular risk factors is not yet sufficiently investigated.
Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to investigate prospectively the short and long-term effect of LEV monotherapy on
serum lipid profile, thyroid hormones levels and homocysteine metabolism in children with epilepsy. The study population
consisted of 32 children (18 females, 14 males, mean age 5, 94±4, 1 year, and range 1-15 years) that were treated for new-onset
epilepsy with Lev monotherapy. Serum total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density
lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TGs), apolipoprotein A-I (apo A-I), apolipoprotein B (apo B), lipoprotein (a)
[Lp(a)], free thyroxin (FT4), thyrotropin (TSH), folate (s-F), vitamin B-12 (s-B12) and plasma total homocysteine (p-tHcy),
were evaluated before and at 2, 6 and 12 months of LEV monotherapy.
Findings:
TGs were significantly decreased at 6 and 12 months of LEV treatment (p=0.030 and p=0.001, respectively). P-tHcy
was significantly decreased at 2 months of treatment (p=0.031). There were no significant alterations in the other parameters
during the study. Mean value of drug dosage (mg/Kg) was 18.1±7.1 at 2 months, 20.8±10.1 at 6 months and 19.8±11.2 at 12
months of LEV treatment.
Conclusion & Significance:
In contrast with older antiepileptic drugs, long-term LEV monotherapy in children with epilepsy
does not cause adverse alterations on serum lipids, homocysteine and thyroid hormones; therefore, LEV may be considered as
a safer alternative drug for the prevention of cardiovascular complications in adult life.
Recent Publications
1. El-Farahaty RM, El-Mitwalli A, Azzam H, Wasel Y, Elrakhawy MM and Hasaneen BM (2015) Atherosclerotic
effects of long-term old and new antiepileptic drugs monotherapy: a cross-sectional comparative study. J Child
Neurol 30:451-7.
2. KimDW, Lee SY, Shon YM and Kim JH (2013) Effects of new antiepileptic drugs on circulatory markers for vascular
risk in patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy. Epilepsia 54:e146-9.
3. Belcastro V, Striano P, Gorgone G, Costa C, Ciampa C, Caccamo D, Pisani LR, Oteri G, Marciani MG, Aguglia U,
Striano S, Ientile R, Calabresi P and Pisani F (2010) Hyperhomocysteinemia in epileptic patients on new antiepileptic
drugs. Epilepsia 51:274-9.
4. Yılmaz U, Yılmaz TS, Akıncı G, Korkmaz HA and Tekgül H (2014) The effect of antiepileptic drugs on thyroid
function in children. Seizure 23:29-35.
5. Shih FY, Chuang YC, Chuang MJ, Lu YT, Tsai WC, Fu TY and Tsai MH (2017) Effects of antiepileptic drugs on
thyroid hormone function in epilepsy patients. Seizure 48:7-10.
Biography
Achilleas Attilakos is a Pediatrician. He works as an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at “Attikon” Hospital-National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.
He is a General Pediatrician, interested in childhood dyslipidemia, primary pediatric care and antiepileptic drug safety.
attilakos@hotmail.com