Klin Farmakol Farm. 2011;25(2):59-63

Safety of antiepileptic drugs and it´s relation to the quality of life in paediatric patients with epilepsy

Ľubomír Virág^1,2, Miroslav Murgaš³, Magdaléna Kuželová¹

¹ Katedra farmakológie a toxikológie, Farmaceutická fakulta, Univerzita Komenského v Bratislave, Slovenská republika

² Lekáreň a Čajka, Nitra, Slovenská republika

³ Detská neurologická ambulancia, Nitra, Slovenská republika

Purpose: To analyse safety of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and its impact on quality of life in paediatric outpatients with epilepsy.

Methods: The present study was a retrospective survey conducted at the Outpatient Department of Paediatric Neurology in Nitra, Slovakia.

The study population comprised 293 patients (148 girls and 145 boys; a mean age of 10.9). The data were collected retrospectively

from patient´s medical record. All adverse effects (AEs) were characterised with respect to their probability and severity. QOLIE-AD-48

questionnaire was used to assess quality of life prospectively (10/2005–01/2009). Chi-square test was conducted to compare discrete

variables. p < 0.05 was considered significant.

Results: Adverse effects of the AEDs were presented at 32.8 % of the patients. The most of AEs occurred in patients medicated with

classical AEDs (valproic acid, carbamazepine; classical vs new AEDs, p < 0.01). The most common (40.6 %) were central nervous system

disorders (fatigue, tremor, headache, diplopia). The most of AEs were judged to be AED related – 55.6 % probably and 39.1 % possibly.

Eleven (8.3 %) AEs were judged to be serious. Questionnaires were returned by 74 (77.9 %) paediatric patients. The mean quality of life

score was 75.2. The quality of life score was lower in children who were medicated by polytherapy (monotherapy vs polytherapy, p < 0.05),

and also in those who experienced AEs (AEs vs no AEs, p < 0.01).

Conclusion: Adverse effects of antiepileptic drugs were presented relatively often and had negative impact on quality of life in children

with epilepsy.

Keywords: antiepileptic drugs, paediatric patients, quality of life, adverse effects

Published: June 20, 2011  Show citation