Levetiracetam Versus Carbamazepine in Post-Stroke Late Onset Crisis (EpIc)

May 26, 2008 updated by: Scienze Neurologiche Ospedaliere

Multicenter, Comparative, Randomized, Open Trial to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of Levetiracetam Versus Carbamazepine in Post Stroke Late Onset Crisis

The principal purpose of the study is to determine the efficacy and safety of Levetiracetam versus Carbamazepine, intended as the number of patients free from crisis during the whole period of treatment, in patients affected by post stroke late onset crisis.

Study Overview

Status

Unknown

Detailed Description

Stroke is the most common cause of seizures in the elderly and seizures are among the most common sequelae of stroke.

About 10% of patients experience seizures since stroke onset up to several years (Silverman 2002). Arbitrarly a cut point of 2 weeks divide early seizures from late seizures (Honey 2000, Olofson 2000, Berger 1989).Late occurrence of late seizure appears to carry a high risk for epilepsy (Wilmore 1990).

The risk of epilepsy in some patients with a single stroke-related seizure is high enough to justify starting an anticonvulsant therapy before a second seizure occurs(Labovitz 2003).

Levetiracetam (S-α-ethil-2-oxo-pyrrolidine acetamide) is S-enantiomer of a pyrrolidine derivative and is unrelated to any other AED and has a unique preclinical and clinical profile (Gower et al 1992).

Levetiracetam (LEV) binds with a stereospecific binding site in the CNS that is saturable and reversible (Noyer 1995). This site actually known as LBS Levetiracetam Binding Site) is unique and do not correspond to any known receptor or channel that might be involved in neuroexcitability (Gillard 2003).

LEV selectively inhibits N-type Ca2 channels of CA1 pyramidal hyppocampal neurons (Lukyanetz et a 2002) and, despite of not having any activity on GABA-gated currents, it shows a potent ability to reverse the inhibitory effects of the negative allosteric modulators zinc and β-carbolines on both GABAA and glycine receptor mediated responses(Rigo et al. 2002).

LEV has no effects on normal neurons (Birnstiel et al.1997) LEV as other AEDs has effect in decreasing repetitive neuronal firing, but only LEV reduces the number of cells firing synchronously (amplitude) of the evoked PS(Margineau and Klitgaard 2000).

The efficacy profile of the drug has been established through three pivotal randomized double blind, placebo controlled, parallel studies on 904 patients suffering from partial seizures secondarily or not generalised that were not well controlled by previous treatment (Shorvon et al. 2000; Ben-Menachem et al. 2000; Cereghino et al. 2000).In these three studies LEV showed a significant reduction of seizure frequency. A pooled analysis of the results from these three studies supports a dose-response effect for levetiracetam: responder rates were 28.5, 34.3 and 41.3 % for patients treated with levetiracetam 1000, 2000, 3000 mg/day respectively, as compared with 13.1% for placebo group. The respective values for complete seizure freedom were 4.7, 6.3, 8.6 and 0.8%(Privitera 2002, Boon et al, 2002).

In a review of data for 1422 patients treated with levetiracetam, 38.6% of patients experienced a ≥ 50% reduction in seizure frequency and 20% experienced a reduction of ≥ 75%. The present study is not blinded because one of the purposes with the study has been to mimic daily clinical practice as close as possible.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Anticipated)

630

Phase

  • Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

      • Ancona, Italy, 60020
        • Not yet recruiting
        • Policlinico Umberto I
        • Principal Investigator:
          • LEANDRO PROVINCIALI
      • Brindisi, Italy, 72100
        • Recruiting
        • Ospedale A. Perrino
        • Principal Investigator:
          • BRUNO PASSARELLA
      • Catania, Italy, 95126
        • Not yet recruiting
        • Ospedale Cannizzaro
        • Principal Investigator:
          • ERMINIO COSTANZO
      • Genova, Italy
        • Recruiting
        • Ospedale San Martino
        • Principal Investigator:
          • carlo GANDOLFO
      • Imperia, Italy, 18100
        • Recruiting
        • Ospedale Civile Imperia ASL 1
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Carlo SERRATI
      • Napoli, Italy, 80131
        • Recruiting
        • Ospedale A. Cardarelli-
        • Principal Investigator:
          • MAURO PAGLIUCA, Dr.
      • Napoli, Italy, 80131
        • Not yet recruiting
        • Ospedale Cardarelli
        • Principal Investigator:
          • VINCENZO ROSSI
      • Palermo, Italy, 90100
        • Not yet recruiting
        • Ospedale Civico
        • Principal Investigator:
          • ERALDO NATALE'
      • Piacenza, Italy, 29100
        • Recruiting
        • Osp. Guglielmo da Saliceto
        • Principal Investigator:
          • DONATA GUIDETTI
      • Reggio Emilia, Italy, 42100
        • Recruiting
        • Arcispedale S. Maria nuova
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Romana RIZZI
      • Taranto, Italy
        • Recruiting
        • Ospedale SS. Annunziata - Ospedale Civile
        • Principal Investigator:
          • saverio INTERNO'
      • Torino, Italy
        • Recruiting
        • Ospedale Molinette-Università di Torino
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Dario GIOBBE
      • Trieste, Italy, 34149
        • Recruiting
        • Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Trieste
        • Principal Investigator:
          • FABIO CHIODO GRANDI
    • AL
      • Novi Ligure, AL, Italy, 15057
        • Not yet recruiting
        • Ospedale S. Giacomo
        • Principal Investigator:
          • MARCO AGUGGIA
    • CN
      • Cuneo, CN, Italy, 12100
        • Not yet recruiting
        • Ospedale S. Croce e Carle
        • Principal Investigator:
          • ENZO GRASSO
    • GE
      • Genova, GE, Italy, 16132
        • Recruiting
        • Ospedale S. Martino
        • Principal Investigator:
          • GIOVANNI REGESTA
    • MI
      • Rozzano, MI, Italy, 20089
        • Recruiting
        • Istituto Clinico Humanitas
        • Principal Investigator:
          • GIUSEPPE MICIELI
    • PG
      • Città della Pieve, PG, Italy, 06062
        • Not yet recruiting
        • USL 2 Ospedale B.G. Villa
        • Principal Investigator:
          • STEFANO RICCI
      • Foligno, PG, Italy
        • Recruiting
        • Ospedale Civile San Giovanni Battista di Foligno
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Pierluigi BRUSTENGHI
      • Sant'Andrea delle Fratte, PG, Italy, 06131
        • Not yet recruiting
        • Ospedale Santa Maria della Misericordia
        • Principal Investigator:
          • ANNA CANTISANI
    • PV
      • Pavia, PV, Italy, 27100
        • Not yet recruiting
        • Istituto Neurologico C. Mondino
        • Contact:
          • Anna Cavallini, doctor
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Anna Cavallini, doctor
    • RG
      • Vittoria, RG, Italy, 97019
        • Recruiting
        • Ospedale Guzzardi
        • Principal Investigator:
          • FRANCESCO IEMOLO
    • VE
      • Portogruaro, VE, Italy, 30026
        • Recruiting
        • Ospedale di Portogruaro
        • Principal Investigator:
          • SEBASTIANO D'ANNA
    • VV
      • Vibo Valentia, VV, Italy, 89900
        • Recruiting
        • Ospedale Civile
        • Principal Investigator:
          • domenico consoli, doctor

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients having a stroke (ischemic and haemorrhagic) showing (one) subsequent seizure 14 days up to 3 years after stroke
  • Patients has signed the informed consent form
  • Aged ≥ 18 years

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Severe stroke patients with Rankin scale > 3
  • Patients with a life expectancy of < 12 months
  • Patients screened more than 15 days after first seizure
  • Patients with a diagnosed epilepsy
  • Patients with clear evidence of myoclonic seizures
  • Patients with contraindication to levetiracetam and carbamazepine use
  • Patients presenting epileptic status at onset
  • Patients having a MMSE <24
  • Patients having a seizure before stroke
  • Patients taking any AED 4 weeks prior to randomisation in the study
  • Patients showing dysphagia after stroke not able to swallow tablets.
  • Patients with a low compliance for the study
  • Pregnant women, lactating or sexually active women with childbearing potential who are not using a medically accepted birth control method.
  • Allergy or intolerance to pyrrolidine derivatives and/or tablet excipients or to carbamazepine derivates and /or tablet excipients
  • Patients involved in another clinical trial 30 days prior randomization
  • Patients with any tumour
  • Patients with previous traumatic brain accident resulting in impairment of consciousness.
  • Patients for whom it is not possible to assess seizure onset

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: LEV
Levetiracetam
Levetiracetam tablets 250-500 mg. The drug dosage will be up-titrated from 250 mg bid in the first 2 weeks to 500 mg bid during the rest of the treatment period. The dosage can be incremented until 1500 mg bid, at Investigator judgement if crisis continue, or it can be reduced in case of adverse events
Active Comparator: CAR
Carbamazepina
Carbamazepina tablets 200 mg. The drug dosage will be up-titrated from 100 mg die in the first 3 days to 100 mg bid during days 4 to 7, to 200 mg bid in the 2nd week, to 300 mg bid during the rest of the treatment period. The dosage can be incremented until 800 mg bid, at Investigator judgement if crisis continue, or it can be reduced in case of adverse events

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
number of patients free from post stroke recurrent crisis
Time Frame: one year
one year

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
To compare retention time of LEV vs CBZ since first intake throughout treatment period
Time Frame: one year
one year
To compare time to second seizure in both treatments.
Time Frame: one year
one year
To evaluate differences in cognitive function and in quality of life in levetiracetam and carbamazepine patients having post-stroke seizures at the end of treatment period
Time Frame: one year
one year
evaluate EEG changes as compared with baseline with that obtained at the end of treatment period
Time Frame: one year
one year
To compare seizure frequency in levetiracetam and carbamazepine groups throughout treatment period
Time Frame: one year
one year
To evaluate the safety of levetiracetam versus carbamazepine throughout the treatment period
Time Frame: one year
one year

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: domenico consoli, doctor, Ospedale Civile Vibo Valentia

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

September 1, 2007

Primary Completion (Anticipated)

June 1, 2009

Study Completion (Anticipated)

June 1, 2009

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

October 11, 2007

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 11, 2007

First Posted (Estimate)

October 12, 2007

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

May 30, 2008

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 26, 2008

Last Verified

May 1, 2008

More Information

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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