Effects of levetiracetam injection on children with status epilepticus and its effect on serum factor levels

Objective To investigate the effectiveness and safety of levetiracetam injection in the treatment of children with epileptic status (SE). Methods According to the random number table method, 107 SE children who were admitted to PICU, Children's Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from December 2018 to April 2020 were enrolled. They were divided into two groups: an observation group (n=54) and a control group (n=53). Patients in the control group were orally treated with sodium valproate on the basis of routine therapy, while those in the observation group were treated with levetiracetam injection on the basis of routine therapy. Both groups were compared for clinical effectiveness, the severity of epileptic status score (STESS) and the levels of serum glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), S100- β protein and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) before and after treatment, and the safety of drug therapy was analyzed. Results The total effective rate of the observation group was 96.30%, which was higher than that of the control group (83.02%, P<0.05). The observation group showed shorter onset time, seizure control time and recovery time than the control group (all P<0.01). Compared with those before treatment, both groups presented decreases in STESS score 48 h after treatment, where the STESS score in the observation group was lower than that of the control group (P<0.01). After treatment for 48 h, both group produced decreased levels of GFAP, S100- β protein and GABA compared with those before treatment, where the levels of GFAP, S100- β protein and GABA were lower in the observation group than those in the control group (P<0.05). No serious complications were reported in both groups during treatment. The incidence of adverse reactions was 9.26% for the observation group and 7.55% for the control group, without statistical difference (P>0.05). Conclusions Levetiracetam injection is effective in adjuvant treatment of SE in children, which is more conducive to effective control of epilepsy and shortens the time of recovery in children, with good safety. Its mechanism may be related to down-regulation of serum GFAP, S100- β protein and GABA expression.