Assessment of Serum Cystatin C Level and Neuroprotection under Levetiracetam Monotherapy in Patients with Epilepsy

Abstract

Aim: Cystatin C is a cysteine protease inhibitor that has been shown to have antiviral, antibacterial and neuroprotective efficacy. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of levetiracetam monotherapy on serum cystatin C levels and the neuroprotective efficacy thereof in patients with epilepsy. Material and Methods: 30 patients, who were diagnosed with epilepsy for the first time and subsequently started on levetiracetam monotherapy, were included in the study as the study group, whereas 30 healthy volunteers were included in the study as the control group. Serum cystatin C and creatinine levels of patients were measured twice, once before they were started on the levetiracetam treatment and once after the completion of six months of treatment levetiracetam, whereas the serum cystatin C and creatinine levels of the healthy control subjects were measured once. Results: Both the pre-treatment and post-treatment creatinine levels of epilepsy patients were found to be statistically significantly higher compared to the creatinine levels of the healthy control subjects. The pre-treatment and post-treatment serum cystatin C levels of epilepsy patients were found to be lower compared to the serum cystatin C levels of the healthy control subjects, albeit not statistically significantly. Additionally, serum cystatin C levels of epilepsy patients were found to have increased after the completion of the levetiracetam treatment, even though not statistically significantly. Conclusion: The increase observed in the cystatin C levels, which is a neuroprotective agent, in epilepsy patients following the completion of the levetiracetam treatment indicates that levetiracetam has neuroprotective activity.