Levetiracetam: The Anti-Convulsant of Choice for Elderly Patients With Dementia

Phase 4

Completed

Conditions: Epilepsy

Interventions: Drug: Levetiracetam

Registration Number: NCT01318408

Lead Sponsor: Drexel University College of Medicine

Brief Summary: Elderly persons with dementia are at risk for seizures, however, traditional anticonvulsants are poorly tolerated in this population. Our goal is to examine Levetiracetam (Keppra) in elderly dementia patients with seizures. While it has been established that Keppra controls seizures in this age group, it is important to demonstrate that treatment with Keppra would not affect cognitive abilities in this large population of patients . As this population is already cognitively impaired, the best choice of anticonvulsant would be one that does not further compromise their cognitive abilities. Keppra is an excellent anticonvulsant agent in the elderly for a variety of reasons, including safety, favorable side effect profile, lack of interaction with other drugs, and efficacy. Our retrospective pilot data suggests that cognition is not negatively affected by Keppra. The current prospective study will assess the cognitive abilities of persons with cognitive impairment at baseline and at weeks 4 and 12. The overall objective is to determine the cognitive tolerability of Keppra for seizures in elderly cognitively impaired patients.

Detailed Description: This is a prospective, phase 4, open label, twelve week study. The study will consist of a 4 week titration phase followed by an 8 week assessment phase. All clinic visits will be conducted at Drexel University College of Medicine Department of Neurology at 219 N. Broad St., Phila., PA.

Visit one will include reviewing and signing the written informed consent form, obtaining relevant demographic data, and then routine blood work. The baseline frequency, duration and type of seizures our subjects experience will be documented, as will their current antiepileptic medications. Baseline history and a physical and neurological examination will be performed, including vital signs. Testing will include baseline measurements of cognition, function (activities of daily living), and behavior. Cognitive testing will include Folstein's Minimental State examination (MMSE), and the ADAS-cog. Our overall assessment will include the Modified Schwab and England Activities of Daily Living Scale. Behavioral assessment will include Tariot's Behavior Ratings Scale and the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI; long form). Levetiracetam will be initiated and instructions for follow up will be given. Because the goal is cognitive tolerability, Levetiracetam will be used as either an add-on agent or as primary monotherapy.

During week two, a follow up telephone assessment will be done to review the instructions and to determine whether any medical changes or adverse events occurred. Adverse events will be assessed by direct questioning and spontaneous patient/caregiver reports. The date, number, duration and type of seizures any of our subjects experience will also be documented.

At the third assessment (week 4), a follow up physical and neurological examination will be done, including vital signs, and the mental testing, including the tests of cognition, function and behavior will be repeated. An assessment will be made to determine whether adverse events occurred. Adverse events will be assessed by review of the subject's seizure log, physician observation, direct questioning and spontaneous reports. The date, number, duration and type of seizures any subject experiences will also be documented. In cases where levetiracetam is an add-on agent, we will attempt to taper the preceding medications if seizure control has been demonstrated. Cognitive testing will be done when subjects are not in a post-ictal state. Any subject who has had a seizure with generalization within 24 hours of their scheduled testing will be rescheduled to another day within one week.

At week twelve, a full follow up mental status assessment will be done for the final assessment. Testing will be the same as that done at weeks 1 (baseline) and 4. Again, cognitive testing will not be done when subjects are in a post-ictal state. Any subject who has had a seizure with generalization within 24 hours of their scheduled testing will be rescheduled to the next available day, within one week.

Follow up blood work and a screen for adverse events will also be obtained at that time. Again, adverse events will be assessed by review of their seizure log, physician observation, direct questioning and spontaneous reports. The date, number, duration and type of seizures will be documented.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: COMPLETED

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 24

Inclusion Criteria

Able to give written informed consent
Meet validated clinical criteria for Alzheimer's disease, mixed dementia or MCI
Age range greater than or equal to 60 years
Stable general medical condition as assessed by the investigator
Seizures which are partial in onset (with or without secondary generalization)
Subjects with 4 or fewer seizures per month
MMSE score of less than 28 at baseline
Patients who are currently being treated with anticonvulsants or those with new onset seizures.

Exclusion Criteria

Patients with other clinically significant organic or neurological diseases. Patients considered medically unstable
Patients in end stage renal disease requiring hemodialysis
Patients with a known hypersensitivity to Levetiracetam
Patients with primary generalized epilepsy
Patients with brain tumors or other significant CNS abnormalities that are the primary cause of the seizures
Patients with a history of status epilepticus
Patients with severe psychiatric diagnoses or severe behavioral problems
Dementia patients lacking a caregiver.

Study & Design

Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL

Study Design: SINGLE_GROUP

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Levetiracetam	Levetiracetam	Levetiracetam was titrated over 4 weeks, with initial dosing of 250 mg bis in die (BID). Dosing was flexible and was based on the prescribing physician's discretion.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
ADAS-cog at Baseline and at 3 Months.	Baseline and Three (3) months	ADAScog (Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale) consists of 11 tasks measuring the disturbances of memory, language, praxis, attention and other cognitive abilities which are often referred to as the core symptoms of AD. Score ranges from 0 - 70. Lower scores (negative change) indicate improvements on the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive (ADAS-cog).
MMSE at Baseline and at Three (3) Months.	Baseline and Three months	The MMSE (Folstein et al 1975) is a brief cognitive test assessing general cognitive function that has been employed in numerous clinical trials of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) products approved for the treatment of AD. The MMSE consists of five components; 1) orientation to time and place, 2) registration of three words, 3) attention and calculation, 4) recall of three words, and 5) language. The scores from each of the five components are summed to obtain the overall MMSE score. The score can range from 0 to 30, with lower scores indicating greater impairment in function.

Secondary Outcome Measures