title: [Fear of having the antiepileptic drug withdrawn].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The decision to withdraw antiepileptic drugs is based mostly on a balanced view of the overall risk of seizure relapse and factors most likely to affect that risk. The aim of this study was to find out the patient and family's attitudes towards the fear of having antiepileptic drug withdrawn, after three years of seizure control.
  
  
  METHODS
  This research was carried out at the Institute for Child and Youth Health care of Vojvodina in Novi Sad. During the study, which lasted from 2003 to 2008, a face-to-face interview about fear of having the antiepileptic therapy withdrawn was done within the adolescent patient examination. The study population included 150 adolescent patients and 265 of their parents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In general, the adolescent patients were ready to accept a significantly higher risk of having recurrences after the antiepileptic drug withdrawal (p < 0.05) than their parents. None of their parents was ready to accept the risk 50% higher than the one in the general population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is important to take into consideration the fear of both adolescent patients and their parents of having recurrences of epileptic seizures before opting for the antiepileptic drug withdrawal.
authors.affiliation: Institut za zdravstvenu zastitu dece i omladine Vojvodine, Novi Sad. godipo@eunet.rs
authors.forename: Marija Knezević
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Pogancev
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants