Successful Treatment of Symptomatic Epilepsy with Oral Valproic Acid and Levetiracetam in a Patient with Short-bowel Syndrome

Abstract

Valproic acid (VPA) and levetiracetam (LEV) are used in epilepsy treatment. However, their use to treat short-bowel syndrome has not been reported. We herein report a 68-year-old man who was hospitalized for symptomatic epilepsy following cerebral infarction. He had a history of superior mesenteric arterial occlusion, and only 30 cm of his jejunum was intact. VPA and LEV were administered, and good blood levels were achieved at clinical doses. This suggests that the gastrointestinal tract absorption of LEV and VPA is good even in patients with short-bowel syndrome and a 30-cm jejunum.

Clocking Epilepsies: A Chronomodulated Strategy-Based Therapy for Rhythmic Seizures

“…Considerable evidence has shown the importance of circadian clocks in intestinal physiology [ 286 ]. Recently, a study reported intestinal dysbiosis associated with a particular form of epilepsy and short-bowel syndrome in an epilepsy patient who was successfully treated with valproic acid (VPA) and levetiracetam (LEV) [ 287 ]. Further, intractable epilepsy in children is comorbid with intestinal bacterial dysbiosis [ 288 ].…”