Comparative Study between Leviteracetam, Phenytoin & Carbamazepine in Treating Post Traumatic Epilepsy

Abstract

Aim: Evaluation of the advantages of Levetiracetam over Phenytoin & Carbamazepine in treatment of late post traumatic epilepsy. Objectives: To compare between the effectiveness of antiepileptic drugs leviteracetam, phenytoin & carbamazepine in management of post-traumatic epilepsy. Methods: This is a retrospective study on the medical treatment of 60 patients with post traumatic epilepsy. 20 patients of them were treated by leviteracetam, 20 patients by Tegretol, & 20 patients by phenytoin. Data was collected between January 2014 and January 2020 from the neurosurgical hospital in Baghdad. Patient demographics, aetiopathology, effectiveness & side effects were recorded. Results: All the 60 patients with Post traumatic epilepsy were recorded. Regarding the Aetiology: Brain CT scan demonstrated that 35 patients had brain cortical contusions, in 15 patients there were depressed skull fractures and 10 patients had acute subdural haemorrhage. All patients with depressed skull fractures & 8 patients wit subdural haematoma were treated surgically then medically. All the patients were treated with antiepileptic medications, so that 20 patients were treated with phenytoin, 20 patients with levetiracetam & 20 patients with carbamazepine. Conclusions: Levetiracetam (Keppra) is a broad-spectrum antiepileptic drug with low incidence of cognitive problems. It is not metabolized in the liver. It has advantage over Phenytoin & Carbamazepine in management of post traumatic epilepsy due to fewer side effects.