A clinical trial of enteral Levetiracetam for acute seizures in pediatric cerebral malaria.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Acute seizures are common in pediatric cerebral malaria (CM), but usual care with phenobarbital risks respiratory suppression. We undertook studies of enteral levetiracetam (eLVT) to evaluate pharmacokinetics (PK), safety and efficacy including an open-label, randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing eLVT to phenobarbital.

Methods

Children 24-83 months old with CM were enrolled in an eLVT dose-finding study starting with standard dose (40 mg/kg load, then 30 mg/kg Q12 hours) titrated upward until seizure freedom was attained in 75% of subjects. The RCT that followed randomized children to eLVT vs. phenobarbital for acute seizures and compared the groups on minutes with seizures based upon continuous electroencephalogram. Due to safety concerns, midway through th

SUBMITTER: Birbeck GL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6824014 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature