[An observational study of the patterns of carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine utilisation in adult patients with partial epilepsy in Spain].
BACKGROUND
The health outcomes research methodology is especially important for evaluating therapeutic efficiency and effectiveness in the case of patients with epilepsy.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the patterns of utilisation of carbamazepine and the new antiepileptic drug oxcarbazepine, as well as their relation with the quality of life (patient's satisfaction and social and occupational repercussion) and therapeutic efficiency (utilisation of health care resources).


METHODS
We performed an observational study of 284 adult patients with partial epilepsy that was clinically controlled with carbamazepine or oxcarbazepine either in monotherapy or with the addition of some other pharmaceutical agent. The study was carried out using the Morisky-Green questionnaire (for therapeutic compliance), the Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS, social functioning) and direct questioning (patient satisfaction); therapeutic efficiency was assessed with the register of medical visits, complementary examinations and concomitant treatments.


RESULTS
The study showed that 65.6% suffered from partial seizures of a single type (simple, complex or with secondary generalisation) and 34.4% had several types of seizures. Oxcarbazepine treatment was being administered to 52% (mean dose: 1134.4 mg/day) and 48% were receiving carbamazepine (mean dose: 876.3 mg/day). The SDS scores were: occupational: 2.1; social: 2.0; and familial: 1.4. Most of the patients admitted having skipped some doses under certain circumstances; for this reason, 98.9% of them presented a medium level of compliance. It was found that 8.5% of patients visited the emergency department and 3% used hospitalisation services.


CONCLUSIONS
The doses of oxcarbazepine tended to be lower than those recommended on the patient information leaflet. Patients only consider themselves to be mildly affected in their social and occupational relations and are satisfied with the control of their seizures. Patients receiving combination therapy utilise more health care resources.
Rufo-Campos
M
M
Hospitales Universitarios Virgen del Rocio, 41013 Sevilla, Espana. miguel.rufo@telefonica.net
Carreno-Martinez
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000078330:Oxcarbazepine; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011788:Quality of Life; D013030:Spain; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D002220:Carbamazepine; D000078330:Oxcarbazepine