Efficacy of levetiracetam in premature infants: our experience and review of the literature.

To evaluate levetiracetam (LEV) efficacy in preterm infants admitted in NICU. Clinical characteristics of 26 preterm infants treated with LEV were evaluated retrospectively. The results were compared with those of 44 preterm infants from the literature who were given LEV. The mean gestational week of the infants receiving LEV was found as 26.7 ± 3.3 weeks, mean birth weight as 938 ± 561 g and mean dose of LEV as 17 ± 9.23 mg/kg. Overall seizure control rate with LEV was found as 65%, while seizure control was achieved by 11.5% when it was used as the first drug, 35% as the second drug and 15.3% as the third drug. The incidence of sepsis and intraventricular hemorrhage in seizure etiology was 73% in infants who received LEV. There was no side effect observed during LEV treatment. Seizure control was better achieved with LEV given as the 2nd antiepileptic in premature infants. Further studies with randomization of LEV and other antiepileptics in seizure control are needed.