Safety of antiepileptic drugs in children and young people: a prospective cohort study

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Egunsola, Oluwaseun, Choonara, Imti, Sammons, Helen M. and Whitehouse, William P. (2018) Safety of antiepileptic drugs in children and young people: a prospective cohort study. Seizure, 56 . pp. 20-25. ISSN 1059-1311

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Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to describe the incidence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in children receiving antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and compare ADRs to the individual drugs when given as monotherapy.

Method: Paediatric patients (≤18 years old) were enrolled for this prospective observational study over a 6-month period, between September 2015 and March 2016. Adverse reactions to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) were elicited at the time of enrolment and after 3 months using the Paediatric Epilepsy Side Effects Questionnaire.

Results: A total of 1139 suspected ADRs were reported in 124 participants. Eighteen different AEDs were prescribed. Sixty-six children (53%) were receiving AED monotherapy at the time of recruitment; 34/66 (52%) of whom received new generation AEDs. Levetiracetam was the most frequently prescribed AED (62/124, 50%). When only children receiving AED monotherapy were considered, fatigue, drowsiness, weight gain, dizziness were less likely with levetiracetam (p < .01). Slow thinking and decreased concentration were less likely with levetiracetam or carbamazepine than valproic acid (p < .05). Five patients (four on polytherapy) discontinued AED treatment due to ADRs and 2 had a dose reduction.

Conclusions: Levetiracetam and carbamazepine were better tolerated than sodium valproate.

Item Type: Article
RIS ID: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/909044
Keywords: Carbamazepine; Epilepsy; Levetiracetam; Paediatrics; Sodium valproate
Schools/Departments: University of Nottingham, UK > Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > School of Medicine > Division of Child Health, Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Identification Number: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seizure.2018.01.018
Depositing User: Shreeve, Claire
Date Deposited: 29 Mar 2018 14:27
Last Modified: 15 Aug 2024 15:26
URI: https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/50826

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