SERUM SODIUM LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH EPILEPSY USING LEVETIRACETAM MONOTHERAPY
Keywords:
Levetiracetam, hyponatremia, epilepsy, serum sodiumAbstract
Levetiracetam, a commonly prescribed antiepileptic drug, is favored for its efficacy and minimal side effects. Despite its general safety, there have been reports suggesting a potential risk of hyponatremia in patients treated with this medication. Hyponatremia is a significant concern as it can lead to severe neurological and systemic symptoms. Understanding these variations is critical for clinicians to manage potential adverse effects and ensure optimal therapeutic outcomes. This study aims to evaluate serum sodium levels among epileptic patients treated with levetiracetam as monotherapy.
This observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study included 60 conveniently sampled participants from December 1, 2022, to December 1, 2023. Participants met the 2017 International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) diagnostic criteria and completed a questionnaire covering study variables.
The study population consisted of 68.3% females and 73.3% participants under 40 years of age. The most common epilepsy type was Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy (63.3%), with the majority receiving 500 mg of levetiracetam twice daily. The mean treatment duration was 24.68 months, and seizure control varied across patients. Serum sodium levels were consistent across different treatment durations (p-value 0.907). Levetiracetam did not adversely impact serum sodium levels, with a mean serum sodium level of 138.875 mmol/L for the majority of participants.
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