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Adherence to antiepileptic drugs in children with epilepsy in a Scottish population cohort
Author(s) -
Shetty Jayakara,
Greene Stephen A,
MesallesNaranjo Oscar,
Kirkpatrick Martin
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
developmental medicine and child neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.658
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1469-8749
pISSN - 0012-1622
DOI - 10.1111/dmcn.12942
Subject(s) - epilepsy , medicine , cohort , pediatrics , population , cohort study , pharmacy , psychiatry , family medicine , environmental health
Aim To measure the adherence to antiepileptic drugs ( AED ) in a population cohort of children with epilepsy and to study the relationship between adherence and a series of clinical variables. Method A population‐based study of children (<16y) with epilepsy on AED treatment from the Tayside region of Scotland during two epochs of 12 months each. A clinical database was constructed using hospital records and linked to a community dispensing pharmacy database to calculate an Adherence Index. The principal outcome measure was the measurement of population‐based adherence to AED s. Secondary outcome measures were the association of adherence with the clinical characteristics of the population. Results The median age of study group was 10 years and the median duration of epilepsy was 4 years. Only 30.9% of the total 320 children adhered to recommended AED treatment (Adherence Index >90%) across a year of treatment. Twenty‐five percent of children had an Adherence Index of less than 50%. Adherence declined with increasing age. There was no significant correlation between adherence and other clinical characteristics studied (sex, duration of epilepsy, other comorbid health problems, other regular medications, and seizure frequency). Interpretation Our data shows adherence to AED treatment is poor in children with epilepsy.