title: Inverse correlation of valproic acid serum concentrations and quality of life in adolescents with epilepsy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Correlation between steady-state serum concentrations of antiepileptic drugs and both seizure control and adverse drug reactions frequency (two major determinants of quality of life in patients with epilepsy) is still matter of controversy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our study was to investigate whether a correlation exists between steady-state serum concentration of valproic acid and quality of life in adolescent patients with epilepsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one adolescent patients with epilepsy, treated with valproic acid for more than 6 months entered the study. On two occasions, 3 months apart, both through and 2-h-after-the-dose serum concentrations of valproic acid were measured, as well as quality of life, using QOLIE-AD-48 for adolescents. Adverse drug reactions and seizure control were also recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant inverse correlation between through serum concentrations of valproic acid and total QOLIE-AD-48 scores was observed, together with correlation between through serum concentrations and adverse drug reactions frequency. The scores of memory/concentration and physical functioning QOLIEAD-48 domains were significantly and inversely correlated with through serum concentrations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study suggests that therapeutic monitoring of valproic acid serum concentrations could be useful predictor and marker of the most important epilepsy treatment outcome--quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Department, Medical Faculty, University of Kragujevac, ul. Svetozara Markovica 69, Kragujevac, Serbia. SidartaGothama@gmail.com
authors.forename: Mihajlo B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Jakovljevic
authors.forename: Slobodan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Jankovic
authors.forename: Snezana V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Jankovic
authors.forename: Natalija
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Todorovic
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013997:Time Factors; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D014635:Valproic Acid