Parents’ Knowledge, Attitudes, Behaviors Towards Use of Antiepileptic Drugs and Common Adverse Effects of Antiepileptic Drugs; Single Center Observational Experience

Abstract

Objective: The use of antiepileptic drugs in childhood may differ in their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes compared to adults and therefore, the effect and adverse effect profiles of drugs may change. We aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of parents of children diagnosed with epilepsy towards antiepileptic drugs and possible adverse effects related to the use of antiepileptic drugs in children.

Material and Methods: August 2019 and March 2020, 110 parents of patients who were diagnosed with epilepsy in pediatric neurology outpatient clinic were included in the study.

Results: The majority of the participants were mothers (n=68, 61.8%). The mean age of the participants was 38.4±7.78 years. 70% of cases were using monotherapy, 30% of cases were using polytherapy. The most commonly used drugs from monotherapy; levetiracetam (22.7%), valproic acid (21.8%) and carbamazepine (13.6%). No side effects were observed against antiepileptic drugs in 34.5% of the cases. The most common side effects were irritability (35.5%), weight gain (18.2%), fatigue (14.5%) and behavioral problems (11.8%). The incidence of adverse effects in patients treated with polytherapy (72.7%) was found to be higher (62.3%) than in patients treated with monotherapy, although it was not statistically significant.

Conclusion : We hope that our study will contribute to the enlightenment of the adverse effect profile that may be encountered during antiepileptic drug treatment in children and to the education to be given to parents.

Keywords

• Epilepsy
• Parents
• Antiepileptic Drugs
• Advers Effect
• Pediatrics

Ebeveynlerin Antiepileptik İlaç Kullanımıyla İlgili Bilgi, Tutum, Davranışları ve Antiepileptik İlaçların Sık Gözlenen Yan Etkileri; Tek Merkezli Gözlemsel Deneyim

Abstract

Amaç: Antiepileptik ilaçlar çocukluk çağında erişkinlere göre farmakokinetik ve farmakodinamik süreçlerinde farklılıklar gösterebilir; bu nedenle ilaçların etki ve yan etki profilleri değişebilmektedir. Çalışmamızda epilepsi tanısı konulan çocukların ebeveynlerinin antiepileptik ilaçlara karşı bilgi, tutum ve davranışları ile çocuklarda antiepileptik ilaç kullanımına bağlı sık gözlenen olası yan etkileri değerlendirmeyi amaçladık.

Gereç ve Yöntemler: Çalışmamız, ebeveynlere anket uygulanarak yapıldı. Ağustos 2019-Mart 2020 tarihleri arasında Çocuk Nöroloji Polikliniği’nde epilepsi tanısı konulmuş 110 hasta ebeveyni çalışmaya dahil edildi.

Bulgular: Katılımcıların çoğunluğunu anneler (n=68, %61.8) oluşturmaktaydı. Katılımcıların yaş ortalamaları 38.4±7.78 yaştı. %70 olgu monoterapi, %30 olgu politerapi kullanmaktaydı. Monoterapiden en sık kullanılan ilaçlar; levetirasetam (%22.7), valproik asit (%21.8) ve karbamazepin (%13.6)’dı. %34.5 olguda antiepileptik ilaçlara karşı yan etki gözlenmedi. En sık görülen yan etkiler; sinirlilik (%35.5), kilo alma (%18.2), yorgunluk (%14.5) ve davranış problemleri (%11.8)’di. Politerapi uygulanan hastalarda yan etki görülme oranı (%72.7), monoterapi uygulanan hastalara göre istatistiksel olarak anlamlı olmasa da daha yüksek bulundu (%62.3).

Sonuç: Çalışmamızın çocuklarda antiepileptik ilaç tedavisi sırasında karşılaşılabilecek yan etki profilinin aydınlatılmasına ve ebeveynlere verilecek eğitimlere katkıda bulunacağını düşünmekteyiz.

Keywords

• Epilepsi
• Ebeveynler
• Antiepileptik İlaçlar
• Pediatri
• Yan etki

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