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Psychosocial Outcomes of Antiepileptic Drug Discontinuation
Author(s) -
Jacoby Ann,
Johnson Anthony,
Chadwick David
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
epilepsia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.687
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1528-1167
pISSN - 0013-9580
DOI - 10.1111/j.1528-1157.1992.tb01769.x
Subject(s) - discontinuation , psychosocial , medicine , epilepsy , distress , antiepileptic drug , randomization , psychiatry , randomized controlled trial , pediatrics , clinical psychology
Summary: The MRC Antiepileptic Drug Withdrawal Study compared seizure control and the risk of relapse resulting from policies of slow discontinuation and routine maintenance of antiepileptic drug (AED) treatment in patients seizure‐free for 2 years. Because the decision to discontinue AEDs can have important psychosocial as well as medical consequences, we also sought to examine the psychosocial outcomes of the alternative policies Questionnaires were sent to eligible adults 2 years after their randomization. The response rate was 85%. There was little evidence of substantial effects of treatment policy on psychosocial outcomes, but seizure recurrence since randomization was associated with increased distress on several measures. However, receiving AEDs to control seizures was also associated with increased distress. Among patients for whom the risk of relapse after discontinuation appears low, the psychosocial benefits of discontinuation may be considerable.