Levetiracetam (Keppra)

Levetiracetam (Keppra)

Alternate Test Name

Keppra

Mnemonic

LAB477
KEPPRA

Category

Chemistry

Methodology

Enzyme Immunoassay

Test Performance Schedule

Sunday - Saturday

Result Availability

Within 24 hours – STAT upon request

Container

Preferred: Red top (serum) tube

Acceptable: Green top (lithium heparin) or Lavender top (EDTA) tube

NOTE: Do Not Use tubes with gel-separators

Volume

Pref. Vol.: 3.0 mL
Min. Vol.: 1.5 mL

Collection Instructions

Timing of specimen collection: Pre-dose (trough) draw – At steady state concentration
• Routine venipuncture

• Immediately after collection, gently invert tube 5-10 times

• Clot 30 minutes

• Promptly centrifuge 10 minutes

• Immediately transfer serum or plasma to a plastic tube and refrigerate

Transportation Instructions

Process the blood as soon as possible after collection to prepare serum or plasma, since hydrolysis of levetiracetam may occur in the prolonged presence of whole blood.

Stability

7 days refrigerated at 2-8°C

Causes for Rejection

Specimens collected in tubes with gel-separators

Remarks

Brivaracetam (Briviact®) is a chemical analog of and can interfere with the analysis of levetiracetam (Keppra®) . Patients undergoing a switch in drug therapy involving Keppra and Briviact and/or brivaracetam should be confirmed by a valid chromatographic method if there is a possibility these drugs are co-present in circulation.

CPT Codes

80177

Effective/Revised

8/22/2019

Levetiracetam (KEPPRA®) is an anti-convulsant drug approved for use as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of epilepsy.