EFFECT OF LEVETIRACETAM DRUG ON ANTIOXIDANT AND LIVER ENZYMES IN EPILEPTIC PATIENTS: CASE-CONTROL STUDY

Background and Aim: Previous studies reported that antioxidant status and liver enzymes could be affected by old antiepileptic drugs. However, there are limited data regarding Levetiracetam (LEV), a new generated antiepileptic drug (AED). This study was conducted to assess the effect of levetiracetam on antioxidant status and liver enzymes. Methods: In this case-control study, 33 epileptic patients under treatment with LEV for at least 6 months were compared with 35 healthy subjects. We measured serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC), salivary superoxide dismutase (SOD), alanine aminoteransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminoteransferase (AST) levels in patients and healthy controls. Dietary intakes were collected using a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ).Results: There was no significant difference between the patients and control groups in terms of age and sex. Level of TAC in healthy subjects (mean±SD) was significantly higher than patients (mean±SD) (P = 0.02), but the mean of ALT (P = 0.02) and AST (P = 0.03) was significantly higher in patients than control groups. Mean salivary SOD had no difference between two groups. Vitamin c intake in healthy people was significant higher than patients (P = 0.02). In patients, the duration of drug use was reverse correlation with serum TAC (r = -0.240, p = 0.04) and had a direct correlation with SGPT (r = 0.365, p = 0.01) and SGOT (r = 0.283, p = 0.03.). Conclusion: Routine screening of liver and antioxidant enzymes in patients with chronic use of LEV drug is recommended.

Keywords:

levetiracetam , antioxidant , epileptic patients , liver enzyme