PURPOSE: To study the pharmacokinetics of levetiracetam (LEV) at birth, during lactation, and in the nursed infant. METHODS: Eight consecutive breast-feeding women with epilepsy treated with LEV twice daily and their infants were studied. RESULTS: The mean umbilical cord serum/maternal serum ratio was 1.14 (range, 0.97-1.45) (n = 4). The mean milk/maternal serum concentration ratio was 1.00 (range, 0.76-1.33) at 3 to 5 days after delivery (n = 7). At sampling 2 weeks to 10 months after delivery (n = 5), it was similar (range, 0.85-1.38). At 3 to 5 days after delivery, the infants had very low LEV serum concentrations (<10-15 microM), a finding that persisted during continued breast-feeding. No malformations were detected, and in none of the infants did signs of adverse effects develop. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate an extensive transfer of LEV from mother to fetus and into breast milk. However, breast-fed infants had very low LEV serum concentrations, suggesting a rapid elimination of LEV.
PURPOSE: To study the pharmacokinetics of levetiracetam (LEV) at birth, during lactation, and in the nursed infant. METHODS: Eight consecutive breast-feeding women with epilepsy treated with LEV twice daily and their infants were studied. RESULTS: The mean umbilical cord serum/maternal serum ratio was 1.14 (range, 0.97-1.45) (n = 4). The mean milk/maternal serum concentration ratio was 1.00 (range, 0.76-1.33) at 3 to 5 days after delivery (n = 7). At sampling 2 weeks to 10 months after delivery (n = 5), it was similar (range, 0.85-1.38). At 3 to 5 days after delivery, the infants had very low LEV serum concentrations (<10-15 microM), a finding that persisted during continued breast-feeding. No malformations were detected, and in none of the infants did signs of adverse effects develop. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate an extensive transfer of LEV from mother to fetus and into breast milk. However, breast-fed infants had very low LEV serum concentrations, suggesting a rapid elimination of LEV.
Authors: Douwe H van der Meer; Andre Wieringa; Ilse Wegner; Bob Wilffert; Peter G J Ter Horst Journal: Br J Clin Pharmacol Date: 2015-04 Impact factor: 4.335
Authors: C L Harden; P B Pennell; B S Koppel; C A Hovinga; B Gidal; K J Meador; J Hopp; T Y Ting; W A Hauser; D Thurman; P W Kaplan; J N Robinson; J A French; S Wiebe; A N Wilner; B Vazquez; L Holmes; A Krumholz; R Finnell; P O Shafer; C Le Guen Journal: Neurology Date: 2009-04-27 Impact factor: 9.910