Clinical Trial: A Pilot Study of Efficacy and Tolerability of Levetiracetam Monotherapy in Subjects With Childhood Absence Epilepsy

Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Interventional

Official Title: A Pilot Study of Efficacy and Tolerability of Levetiracetam Monotherapy in Subjects With Childhood Absence Epilepsy

Brief Summary: Childhood absence epilepsy (CAE) is a form of generalized epilepsy syndrome. Clinically these seizures are manifest with a sudden, brief (3-15 second) loss of awareness followed by a quick recovery to baseline. Keppra (levetiracetam) is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat partial seizures in adults. It is currently being studied in children with partial seizures. Absence seizures can be difficult to detect clinically, therefore the response to therapy will be determined both by clinical observation and by 24 hour EEG recordings. The researchers hope that with this information they will learn how well it works for the treatment of childhood absence epilepsy and at what dose. This is an open-label, dose-ranging pilot study of levetiracetam in subjects with newly diagnosed childhood absence epilepsy. Approximately 20 patients will be needed to study effectiveness and dose requirements. Subjects must not be on any antiepileptic medication at the time of entry into the study. Male and female subjects from the ages of 4 to 10 years of age may participate.

Detailed Summary: This is a 12 week ( 12 week treatment phase), dose ranging pilot study on the effectiveness of levetiracetam for the treatment of childhood absence epilepsy. It consists of 1 phase. The treatment phase where the optimal medication dose will be defined. Absence seizures are often brief and subtle with no postictal manifestations. As a result, clinical observation alone is inadequate to assess the seizure Therefore, both subjective clinical response (parental/caregiver assessment) and EEG recordings are an important part of evaluation of treatment response. A 6 hour outpatient video-EEG study (including 3 minutes of hyperventilation), followed by an 18 hour ambulatory EEG recording - for total 24 hour EEG recording will be done before treatment and every 2 weeks after each dose plateau is reached )
Sponsor: The Cleveland Clinic

Current Primary Outcome: The primary efficacy variable will be change in seizure frequency.

Original Primary Outcome: Same as current

Current Secondary Outcome: Determine the design of a larger placebo controlled monotherapy study of the use of levetiracetam for CAE.

Original Secondary Outcome: Same as current

Information By: The Cleveland Clinic

Dates:
Date Received: August 3, 2006
Date Started: December 2006
Date Completion:
Last Updated: July 27, 2011
Last Verified: July 2011