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Completed

NCT Number: NCT02334722

1 Week Versus 6 Weeks of Levetiracetam in Surgical Brain Tumor Patients

The purpose of this study is to see if there are any differences in patient reported neurotoxicity between patients who receive Levetiracetam tablets for one week after surgery to remove a brain tumor versus those who receive Levetiracetam tablets for six weeks after surgery. Specifically, we will see if one group has less side effects than the other, and whether or not one group has more seizures than the other.

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Key information

Conditions

Brain Neoplasms Brain Cancer Brain Diseases Brain Tumors Cancer of Brain Cancer of the Brain Central Nervous System Diseases Central Nervous System Neoplasms Neoplasms Neoplasms by Site Nervous System Diseases Nervous System Neoplasms Neurologic Manifestations Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Seizure Seizures Signs and Symptoms

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 4

Primary location

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida, 32610, United States

About this study

Because seizures are one of the leading neurologic complications in brain tumor patients, neurosurgeons prescribe antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) to help prevent them. Although the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) guidelines recommend that AEDs be stopped after the first post-operative week in patients without seizures, there is no standard length of treatment and some patients may stay on AEDs indefinitely.

In an attempt to develop clinical guidelines for AED use in post-operative brain tumor patients, we will try to determine if taking levetiracetam for 1 week results in less neurotoxicity than taking it for 6 weeks.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Adult (>18 years of age and older) patients who have or will have undergone surgical resection or biopsy of a supratentorial brain tumor and are able to consent for themselves.
  • Able to be randomized prior to or up to 48 hours after surgery.

Exclusion criteria

  • No known history of seizure activity.
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding.
  • Renal dysfunction (CrCl < 30ml/min).
  • Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI) ≥14
  • Allergy to levetiracetam.

Treatment and study plan

Levetiracetam

Drug

Other names: Keppra

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in Neurotoxicity Scale Scores

    Time frame: Baseline to 6 weeks

    The Neurotoxicity Scale is as a validated 27 question, patient-reported measure for assessing the adverse effects of antiepileptic drugs on cognitive function. Patients self-report "no problem", "a mild problem", "a moderate problem" or "a serious problem" for each question corresponding to a score of 0, 1, 2, and 3, respectively. For each patient, the overall score was formed by summing scores in all 27 questions. The minimum possible score is 0 and the maximum possible total score is 81. A lower score indicates less toxicity when taking an antiepileptic drug. The outcome is a score change from baseline at the 6 week follow-up and is calculated by subtracting the baseline score from the 6 week follow-up score for each patient.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Florida

Other

Registry information

Official study title

A Shortened Antiepileptic Drug (AED) Course in Surgical Brain Tumor Patients: A Randomized Trial

Important dates

Study start
2015
Primary completion
2020
Study completion
2020
First posted
Jan 8, 2015
Registry last updated
Dec 15, 2021

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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