Safety and efficacy of levetiracetam for seizure prophylaxis in octogenarians following traumatic brain injury - PubMed
6 hours ago
- #Traumatic Brain Injury
- #Levetiracetam
- #Octogenarian
- Levetiracetam (LTM) is used for seizure prophylaxis after traumatic brain injury (TBI), but its effectiveness and safety in patients aged 80+ are understudied.
- The study analyzed 91 octogenarians with severe TBI; 59 received LTM and 32 did not, showing older age in the non-LTM group.
- Patients on LTM had higher injury severity scores (ISS), worse head injuries, and higher 3-month mortality rates compared to those not on LTM.
- Adverse effects led to discontinuation of LTM in 5.08% of patients, and seizures occurred in three LTM patients within seven days but none at three months.
- Levetiracetam is well-tolerated but often prescribed to more severe TBI cases, indicating a need for further long-term outcome research in octogenarians.