Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38300459›Full record

ArticleNeurology and therapy2024

Conversion to Brivaracetam Monotherapy in Clinical Practice: A Retrospective Study.

Simona Lattanzi, Nicoletta Foschi, Chiara Martellino, Daniela Audenino, Giovanni Boero, Paolo Bonanni, Edoardo Ferlazzo, Valentina Chiesa, Filippo Dainese, Marta Piccioli and 2 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Neurology and therapy, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
2.3field-weighted citation impact, top 12% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Observational
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors at 10 institutions in 1 country.

Simona LattanziNeurological Clinic, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Marche Polytechnic University, Via Conca 71, 60020, Ancona, Italy. alfierelattanzisimona@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8748-0083
Nicoletta FoschiNeurological Clinic, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Marche Polytechnic University, Via Conca 71, 60020, Ancona, Italy.
Chiara MartellinoNeurophysiopathology and Movement Disorders Clinic, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
Daniela AudeninoS.C. Neurologia, S.S.C. Neurofisiopatologia, E.O. Ospedali Galliera, Genoa, Italy.
Giovanni BoeroDivision of Neurology, SS Annunziata Hospital, Taranto, Italy.
Paolo BonanniEpilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology Unit, Scientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Conegliano, Treviso, Italy.
Edoardo FerlazzoDepartment of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Magna Græcia University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.
Valentina ChiesaEpilepsy Center, Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, AAST Santi Paolo Carlo, Milan, Italy.
Filippo DaineseUnit of Neurology and Unit of Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neuroscience, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
Marta PiccioliNeurology Unit, PO San Filippo Neri, ASL Roma 1, Rome, Italy.
Alessandra FerrariDivision of Clinical Neurophysiology and Epilepsy Centre, Department of Neuroscience, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy.
Angelo LabateNeurophysiopathology and Movement Disorders Clinic, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
Marche Polytechnic University · ITUniversity of Messina · ITASL Roma · ITEnte Ospedaliero Ospedali Galliera · ITIRCCS Eugenio Medea · ITMagna Graecia University · ITOspedale Policlinico San Martino · ITOspedale San Paolo · ITOspedale SS. Annunziata · ITUniversity of Padua · IT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of brivaracetam (BRV) as conversion monotherapy in adults with focal epilepsy treated in the context of real-world clinical practice.

methodsThis was a retrospective, observational, non-interventional study in adults with focal epilepsy who converted to BRV monotherapy following the withdrawal of background antiseizure medications (ASMs). Primary effectiveness outcome was the retention rate of BRV as single ASM at 6 and 12 months. Secondary outcomes included the 6- and 12-month rates of seizure freedom. Safety and tolerability outcomes included the frequency and type of adverse events (AEs) and the occurrence of treatment discontinuation due to AEs.

resultsA total of 44 participants with a median age of 63.5 (interquartile range 44-73.5) years were included; 17 subjects were seizure free at baseline, and 9 of them switched from levetiracetam because of lack of tolerability. The retention rate of BRV monotherapy was 88.6% (39/44) at 6 months and 83.9% (26/31) at 12 months. The rates of seizure freedom were 72.7% (32/44) in subjects with 6-month follow-up and 58.1% (18/31) in subjects with 12-month follow-up. The median maintenance dosage of BRV monotherapy was 150 (100-200) mg/day at 6 months and 125 (100-200) mg/day in subjects with 12-month follow-up. Adverse events were recorded in 6/44 (13.6%) participants and led to BRV discontinuation in 2/44 (4.5%) cases. The reported AEs were somnolence (n = 3), fatigue (n = 2), and irritability (n = 1); no serious AEs were experienced. In 21/44 (47.7%) participants, BRV monotherapy resulted from the direct switch from levetiracetam. The rates of treatment retention and seizure freedom at 6 and 12 months were higher among people who switched from levetiracetam to BRV monotherapy.

conclusionBrivaracetam may be a valuable treatment of focal seizures in people who converted to monotherapy in a real-life setting.

Indexed as

Antiseizure medicationBrivaracetamEpilepsyFocal seizures

Identifiers

PMID38300459
PMCPMC10951135
OpenAlexW4391446781

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.