Publication:

An analysis of prescription pattern and adverse drug reaction profile in children treated with antiepileptic drugs in a tertiary care teaching hospital

Background Epilepsy is a clinical diagnosis made after a child has had two (or) more unprovoked seizures. Ideal goal in the management of childhood epilepsy is complete control with minimal side effects. The incidence of adverse effects is an important issue with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). We took up this study to analyse the pattern of AEDs prescribed and adverse drug reaction (ADR) profile in children with epilepsy being treated at a tertiary care Teaching hospital of South Tamil Nadu.

Methods Children of both sexes, 1 to 12 years of age and on AEDs for at least 3 months were included for the study. Patients with febrile seizures, status epilepticus, seizures associated with paralytic stroke, head injury and cerebral palsy were excluded. Demographic data, treatment history and adverse drug events were recorded. Serum liver function tests, complete blood count and peripheral smear and causality analysis of ADRs were done.

Results Out of 203 patients 122 (60.1%) were males. Average number of AED prescribed per patient was 1.37. About 68% received monotherapy. 26.6% required two drugs and 5.4% patients required triple drugs. Out of 75 ADRs reported 3 are probable and 72 are possible reactions. The prevalence of ADRs (p=0.014*) and anorexia (p=0.0004*) were more in patients on polytherapy.

Conclusions ADRs were more common in patients with combination therapy which insists the need for a newer AED with less toxicity especially for paediatric patients.