Safety and feasibility of switching from phenytoin to levetiracetam monotherapy for glioma-related seizure control following craniotomy: a randomized phase II pilot study

J Neurooncol. 2009 Jul;93(3):349-54. doi: 10.1007/s11060-008-9781-4. Epub 2009 Jan 24.

Abstract

Seizures are common in patients with gliomas, and phenytoin (PHT) is frequently used to control tumor-related seizures. PHT, however, has many undesirable side effects (SEs) and drug interactions with glioma chemotherapy. Levetiracetam (LEV) is a newer antiepileptic drug (AED) with fewer SEs and essentially no drug interactions. We performed a pilot study testing the safety and feasibility of switching patients from PHT to LEV monotherapy for postoperative control of glioma-related seizures. Over a 13-month period, 29 patients were randomized in a 2:1 ratio to initiate LEV therapy within 24 h of surgery or to continue PHT therapy. 6 month follow-up data were available for 15 patients taking LEV and for 8 patients taking PHT. In the LEV group, 13 patients (87%) were seizure-free. In the PHT group, 6 patients (75%) were seizure-free. Reported SEs at 6 months was as follows (%LEV/%PHT group): dizziness (0/14), difficulty with coordination (0/29), depression (7/14) lack of energy or strength (20/43), insomnia (40/43), mood instability (7/0). The pilot data presented here suggest that it is safe to switch patients from PHT to LEV monotherapy following craniotomy for supratentorial glioma. A large-scale, double-blinded, randomized control trial of LEV versus PHT is required to determine seizure control equivalence and better assess differences in SEs.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial, Phase II
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Anticonvulsants / therapeutic use*
  • Brain Neoplasms / complications*
  • Brain Neoplasms / surgery
  • Craniotomy / adverse effects
  • Female
  • Glioma / complications*
  • Glioma / surgery
  • Humans
  • Levetiracetam
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Phenytoin / therapeutic use*
  • Pilot Projects
  • Piracetam / analogs & derivatives*
  • Piracetam / therapeutic use
  • Seizures / drug therapy*
  • Seizures / etiology

Substances

  • Anticonvulsants
  • Levetiracetam
  • Phenytoin
  • Piracetam