Introduction. Levetiracetam (LEV) is a newer antiepileptic drug with better pharmacokinetic profile. Currently, it is frequently used for the treatment of partial seizures. The present study was undertaken to compare the efficacy and safety of LEV and Carbamazepine (CBZ) in partial epilepsy. Methods. This was a prospective, open labeled, randomized study. It was conducted in participants suffering from partial seizures after the approval of ethics committee and written informed consent. The first group received Tab LEV (500 to 3000 mg/day) and the second group received Tab CBZ (300 to 600 mg/day). The primary outcomes were efficacy and safety. The secondary outcome was the Quality of Life (QOL). Efficacy was assessed by comparing the seizure freedom rates at the end of 6 months. Safety profile was evaluated by comparing the adverse effects. QOL was assessed by QOLIE-10 scale. Results. The overall seizure freedom rate at the end of 6 months was 71.42% in CBZ group compared to 78.57% in LEV group (p = 0.2529). Both LEV and CBZ reported a similar incidence of adverse reactions. LEV group reported more behavioral changes like increased aggression and anxiety. Also, it showed better QOL compared to the CBZ group. Conclusion. LEV monotherapy and CBZ monotherapy demonstrated similar efficacy for treatment of partial epilepsy and were found to be well tolerated.

Levetiracetam (LEV) is a relatively newer antiepileptic drug with novel mechanism of action. It was introduced to the market in the year 2000. Pre-marketing clinical trials of the drug reported good tolerability with a wide safety margin. On post-marketing updates, there are few reports of psychosis after treatment with the drug. Here, we report a case of 52-year-old epileptic man who developed acute, reversible psychosis within 3 days of initiation of treatment. The drug was prescribed at a dose of 500 mg per day. After 3 days of treatment, the patient developed visual hallucinations, mood swings, withdrawal and suspicious behavior. Delirium was ruled out as there was no fluctuation in his sensorium or focal neurological deficits. His lab investigations for electrolytes, renal function test, thyroid, liver function and other related tests levels were within normal limits. A diagnosis of LEV induced psychosis was reached based on clinical judgment and causality assessment.

Epilepsy is an important health problem due to its high prevalence and potential for causing long-term morbidity. It is commonly treated in children with phenytoin sodium. It has wide pharmacokinetic variability and a narrow therapeutic range that leads to toxicity. Here, we report a case of phenytoin-induced cerebellar atrophy in a 16-year-old epileptic boy who presented to the hospital with a viral infection.