title: An educational intervention on drug interactions and contraceptive options for epilepsy patients: a pilot randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This pilot study investigates whether an educational handout could increase short-term information retention about drug interactions between antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and hormonal contraceptives among female epilepsy patients of reproductive age.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a pilot randomized controlled trial of an educational intervention among reproductive-age women with epilepsy in an academic neurology clinic. Investigators measured knowledge before and after participants received either usual care or the educational handout. The 10-question test assessed increased knowledge of which AEDs affected efficacy of certain hormonal contraceptives and was assessed by calculating the improvement in score between the pretest and posttest. The educational handout included the names of AEDs that have drug interactions with certain contraceptives and the efficacy of the contraceptives.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 42 epilepsy patients participated in this study. Fourteen participants were taking AEDs that are enzyme p450 inducers and 13 participants were taking Lamotrigine. Twenty women were randomized to receive the educational handout and 22 women were randomized to usual care. We found no statistical difference in the groups with regard to age, ethnicity or level of education. We found a significantly higher improvement in quiz scores in the educational handout group (3.65 point increase) compared to the usual care group (0.68 point increase) as calculated by the Student's two-sample t test (p<.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An educational handout on drug interactions and contraceptives resulted in increased short-term information retention on this topic among reproductive-age female epilepsy patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This pilot study highlights the need for further larger studies to evaluate the impact of educational interventions on improving patient knowledge about the drug interaction of AEDs and hormonal contraceptives.
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA. Electronic address: smody@ucsd.edu.
authors.forename: Sheila K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Mody
authors.affiliation: Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Haunschild
authors.affiliation: University of California San Francisco Medical School, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
authors.forename: John Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Farala
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Translational Research Institute, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
authors.forename: Gordon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Honerkamp-Smith
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hur
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0662, USA.
authors.forename: Leena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kansal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D000077213:Lamotrigine; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012153:Retention, Psychology; D014227:Triazines / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal; D014227:Triazines; D000077213:Lamotrigine
keywords: Contraception; Counseling; Drug interactions; Epilepsy