The effect of levetiracetam monotherapy on complete blood count values and inflammatory markers in long- and short-term treatment

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to this study was to determine the effect of levetiracetam (LEV) monotherapy on complete blood count parameters and inflammatory markers at six and 12 months in children with epilepsy. Methods: Files from 66 patients with epilepsy who were on LEV monotherapy were examined. Age, sex, and type of epilepsy, electroencephalography and cranial magnetic resonance imaging results at presentation, and complete blood count data at the start of treatment and at six and 12 months were recorded from the patients’ files. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and red cell distribution width/lymphocyte ratio (RDW/LYM) values were calculated from complete blood counts and used as inflammatory markers. Results: The mean age of 66 patients was 10.18±4.88 years. The patients were equally distributed by gender. A comparison of complete blood parameters in patients receiving LEV monotherapy at baseline and at six and 12 months revealed a significant decrease in RDW values at 12 months (p<0.05), with no significant differences in other hematological parameters (p>0.05). Also, no significant differences were observed in inflammatory markers (NLR, MLR, PLR, and the RDW/LYM ratio) calculated from complete blood count parameters (p>0.05). Conclusion: Use of LEV altered multiple complete blood count parameters. In addition, NLR, MLR, PLR, and the RDW/LYM ratio, recognized inflammatory markers, also changed during LEV therapy.