title: Improvement in antiepileptic drug levels following reduction of intervals between clinic visits.
abstract: Antiepileptic drug levels (AEDLs) may reflect how well patients adhere to prescribed medical regimens. Of 30 patients on stable drug regimens AEDLs were increased in 33% by decreasing clinic visit intervals from a mean of 3.4 months to 1.1 months. The testing situation was applied to patients who had AEDLs in the "therapeutic range" (n = 15) as well as those with one or more AEDLs below "therapeutic range" (n = 15). In the latter group 73% of patients showed improvement in AEDLs. Although a less reliable parameter, verbally reported seizure frequencies were also improved. Overall, the reduction in clinic visit interval could be expected to yield improvement in 46 to 80% (confidence interval = 95%). These patients responded equally well to physician and non-physician practitioners. This technique may be useful as an intervening measure for those patients who are noncompliant.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005013:Ethosuximide / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010634:Phenobarbital / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011324:Primidone / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D011324:Primidone; D002220:Carbamazepine; D005013:Ethosuximide; D010672:Phenytoin; D010634:Phenobarbital