PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Albsoul-Younes, Abla
AU  - Gharaibeh, Lubna
AU  - Murtaja, Amer A.
AU  - Masri, Amira
AU  - Alabbadi, Ibrahim
AU  - Al-Qudah, Abdelkarim A.
TI  - Patterns of antiepileptic drugs use in epileptic pediatric patients in Jordan
AID  - 10.17712/nsj.2016.3.20150766
DP  - 2016 Jul 01
TA  - Neurosciences Journal
PG  - 264--267
VI  - 21
IP  - 3
4099  - http://nsj.org.sa/content/21/3/264.short
4100  - http://nsj.org.sa/content/21/3/264.full
SO  - Neurosciences (Riyadh)2016 Jul 01; 21
AB  - Objectives: To determine prescribing patterns of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in pediatric patients with confirmed diagnosis of epilepsy, and to provide knowledge of general practice of physicians.Methods: The study was a multi-center cross-sectional observational study, in specialized clinics for management of epilepsy in north, central and south Jordan. This study was conducted from January 2014 to July 2014. These were 3 from university tertiary care hospitals and 4 from governmental tertiary care hospitals.Results: A total of 694 pediatric patients were included. Monotherapy AED use had the highest frequency 465 (67.0%), followed by dual therapy 162 (23.3%). The frequency of monotherapy in university hospitals was lower than governmental hospitals (p<0.05); however, Polytherapy was more frequent in younger children. Two old AEDs were most frequently prescribed as a monotherapy; Valproic acid 235 (50.5%) and carbamazepine 155 (33.3%). The most common combination in dual therapy was valproic acid with carbamazepine 28 (17.3%). The second most common combinations were carbamazepine with levetiracetam 21 (13.0%) or valproic acid with levetiracetam 20 (12.3%).Conclusion: Older AED remain first line drugs for use in both monotherapy and combination therapy for epileptic disorders. Polytherapy is associated with younger kids and being treated in a university hospital.