Efficacy and safety of intravenous Levetiracetam as first-line treatment for neonatal clinical seizures: A single-center study (2021−2023)
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background Neonatal seizures demand urgent treatment to mitigate neurodevelopmental risks. This study evaluates intravenous levetiracetam's efficacy and safety as first-line therapy for seizures in term neonates. Methods A retrospective analysis included term neonates with clinical seizures admitted to a NICU (2021–2023), excluding metabolic/other predefined etiologies. All received intravenous levetiracetam initially. Statistical analysis (SPSS v.19) used chi-square and paired t -tests. Results The study included 40 neonates, of whom 12 (30 %) were male and 28 (70 %) were female. Tonic seizures were the most frequent type (40 %), followed by myoclonic and mixed seizures (22.5 % each). Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) was the predominant etiology, accounting for 50 % of cases. No significant association was found between seizure type and the number of doses required ( p = 0.051) or seizure recurrence within 48 h ( p = 0.485). Additionally, the number of doses administered did not significantly impact seizure recurrence after 48 h ( p = 0.63). Conclusion Intravenous levetiracetam demonstrated efficacy in controlling neonatal seizures, with no reported drug-related adverse effects. More than 70 % of neonates required only a single dose, and nearly 85 % remained seizure-free within 48 h. While these findings suggest favorable outcomes with levetiracetam, larger, prospective studies are necessary to further substantiate its efficacy and safety profile in this population.
Source: eNeurologicalSci
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,260
OpenAlex ID: W4413825812