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Most patients who are diagnosed with one of the idiopathic generalized epilepsies (IGEs) experience generalized tonic-clonic seizures. In an industry-sponsored, multinational, double-blind randomized trial, researchers examined the efficacy of add-on therapy with levetiracetam (Keppra) in 164 patients (mean age, 29; range, 4–65) with IGE who had generalized tonic-clonic seizures despite treatment with one or two other antiepileptic drugs (mostly valproate, lamotrigine, or carbamazepine). Mean age at onset of first seizure was 12.
After a baseline observation period, during which the mean frequency of tonic-clonic seizures was 1.2 per week, patients received levetiracetam or placebo and were followed for 24 weeks. The mean reduction in seizur…