Levetiracetam Safe for Children’s Thyroid Health in Epilepsy Treatment

Source: European journal of pediatrics

Summary

This study looked at how the anti-seizure medication levetiracetam affects thyroid function and thyroid size in children with epilepsy. Researchers included 40 children aged between 3 months and 18 years who started taking levetiracetam at Dr. Behçet Uz Children's Hospital. They measured thyroid hormone levels and thyroid size before treatment and again after six months.

The key findings showed that taking levetiracetam for six months did not significantly change thyroid hormone levels or the overall size of the thyroid gland. However, there was a small decrease in the thyroid volume standard deviation score, which suggests that while the thyroid size may have changed slightly in relation to what is typical for their age, it was not a major concern. Overall, the thyroid function tests remained stable.

This study is important because it suggests that short-term use of levetiracetam is safe for thyroid function in children with epilepsy. However, it is worth noting that the study involved a small number of participants and only looked at a short time frame. More research is needed to confirm these findings and to understand the long-term effects of levetiracetam on thyroid health.

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