[Effectiveness and safety of levetiracetam in patients with essential tremor: data from an open 11-week follow-up trial]. / Eficacia y tolerabilidad del levetiracetam en pacientes con temblor esencial: datos de un ensayo abierto de 11 semanas de seguimiento.
Rev Neurol
; 45(3): 134-6, 2007.
Article
in Es
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-17661270
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
It is a well-known fact that a relatively high proportion of patients with essential tremor are resistant to a number of pharmaceuticals currently used to treat the condition.AIM:
To assess the effectiveness and safety of levetiracetam (LEV) in patients who displayed little or no response or intolerable side effects under treatment with beta blockers or primidone, or who presented contraindications against beginning such treatments. PATIENTS ANDMETHODS:
We conducted an open 11-week pilot study in patients with the characteristics described above. The main response measurements were based on the Fahn-Tolosa-Marin (FTM) tremor rating scale, accelerometric variables and side effects. The maximum dose of LEV was 3000 mg, which was reached by patients who did not benefit from lower doses, after one week's treatment with 1000 mg and four weeks' treatment with 2000 mg. RESULTS. The sample consisted of 14 patients with essential tremor, with a mean age of 70.08 (7.99) years and an average clinical history of 11.5 years. Although by the end of the study small decreases were observed on the FTM rating scale and in the amplitude of the tremor, none of the differences were significant. Six patients dropped out of the study because of a lack of effectiveness or to side effects.CONCLUSION:
LEV did not produce any statistically significant modifications in any of the variables that were monitored in this group of patients.
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Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Piracetam
/
Essential Tremor
/
Anticonvulsants
Limits:
Aged
/
Aged80
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Language:
Es
Journal:
Rev Neurol
Year:
2007
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Spain