Levetiracetam as a possible contributor to acute kidney injury.

PURPOSE: Levetiracetam is an antiepileptic medication that has been reported to be both well-tolerated and effective in treating generalized tonic-clonic, myoclonic, and partial-onset seizures. The adverse effects most commonly reported in tolerability trials include somnolence, fatigue/asthenia, headaches, dizziness, and nausea. However, there have been a few reports suggesting possible detrimental effects of levetiracetam on renal function. METHODS: Here we describe the case of a previously healthy 23-year-old female patient who developed acute kidney injury 1 day after the initiation of levetiracetam therapy for new-onset seizures. FINDINGS: Based on the time course of the patient's rise in serum creatinine and the exclusion of other causes, this case suggests that levetiracetam use contributed to the acute kidney injury. IMPLICATIONS: Levetiracetam is a widely used drug that has been reported to be generally tolerable and effective; however, it has the potential to negatively affect renal function. This potential consequence of therapy should be considered when deciding whether or not to prescribe this medication, and renal function should be monitored during treatment.

The Modified Graeb Score: an enhanced tool for intraventricular hemorrhage measurement and prediction of functional outcome.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Simple and rapid measures of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) volume are lacking. We developed and validated a modification of the original Graeb scale to facilitate rapid assessment of IVH over time. METHODS: We explored the relationship between the modified Graeb scale (mGS), original Graeb scale, measured IVH volume, and outcome using data from the Clot Lysis: Evaluating Accelerated Resolution of Hemorrhage with rtPA B (CLEAR B) study. We also explored its reliability. We then evaluated the relationship between mGS and outcome in a large sample of participants with IVH using data contained within the Virtual International Stroke Trials Archive (VISTA). We defined outcome using the modified Rankin scale (>3 signifying poor outcome). RESULTS: The CLEAR B study included 360 scans from 36 subjects. The mGS score and IVH volume were highly correlated (R = 0.80, P<0.0001, R(2) 0.65). Baseline mGS was predictive of poor outcome (area under receiving operating characteristic curve 0.74, 95% confidence interval, 0.57-0.91), whereas the original Graeb scale was not. The VISTA study included 399 participants. Each unit increase in the mGS led to a 12% increase in the odds of a poor outcome (odds ratio, 1.12; 95% confidence interval, 1.05-1.19). Measures of reliability (intra- and inter- reader) were good in both studies. CONCLUSIONS: The mGS, a semiquantitative scale for IVH volume measurement, is a reliable measure with prognostic validity suitable for rapid use in clinical practice and in research.