This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the effectiveness of levetiracetam in migraine prophylaxis.
A moderate to severe persistent headache for
4-72 hours leads to a migraine. As the onset of migraine may be associated with
cortical hyperexcitability, hence, antiepileptic drugs may be effective for the
same. As examined from this study, the use of levetiracetam was beneficial in
migraineurs given the unfavourable effects or teratogenicity of other
preventive therapies.
This systematic review and meta-analysis
examined the effectiveness of levetiracetam in migraine prophylaxis.
Some renowned databases- PubMed, EMBASE, and the
Cochrane were explored for articles concerning relevant migraine prophylaxis
and levetiracetam treatment. There were 3 main study outcomes: patients with
>50% headache frequency decrease, headache frequency, and headache severity.
All in all, four randomized controlled trial (RCTs) comprising of 192 patients and four prospective studies comprising of 85 patients were recognized. Significant differences were found between levetiracetam and the placebo groups and outcomes under consideration (Table 1):
Levetiracetam can considerably decrease headache
frequency and severity. Thus, levetiracetam in oral formulation can be an
effective treatment for migraine prophylaxis.
Journal of the Formosan Medical Association
Efficacy of levetiracetam for migraine prophylaxis: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Po-Hua Yen et al.
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