Subcutaneous Levetiracetam Application Sustains Therapeutic Drug Levels

Abstract

We report on a patient suffering from seizures caused by cerebral metastases of adenocarcinoma of the lung. Initially, the patient was treated effectively with oral levetiracetam. As the disease progressed, oral intake was no longer possible. Since levetiracetam had controlled the patient's seizures well, the medication delivery mode was switched first to intravenous application, followed by a return to oral administration. After further deterioration, subcutaneous levetiracetam application was used to control epileptic symptoms while avoiding the sedating effects of subcutaneous midazolam. Subcutaneous levetiracetam allowed for stable seizure control in the end-of-life situation. Serum levels of levetiracetam were assessed for all application conditions and demonstrate that therapeutic drug levels can be reached by subcutaneous application. This report from a tertiary care center in Switzerland adds to the sparse but growing evidence base for the use of subcutaneous levetiracetam to manage seizures in palliative and end-of-life care.

Keywords

• levetiracetam
• palliative care
• seizure
• subcutaneous application