title: [Treatment adherence with levetiracetam: a non-interventionist retrospective observation-based study].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Treatment adherence is a factor that is affecting the effectiveness of antiepileptic drugs. Levetiracetam is a drug whose effectiveness and safety is well established and is available in different oral formulations (granulates in sachets, tablets, oral solution), but information on treatment adherence/compliance with these oral formulations is limited.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine treatment adherence with levetiracetam formulations (granulates in sachets, tablets) in adult and elderly people.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective observational non-interventionist study. During the three months before the study patients should be treated with levetiracetam (granulates in sachets or tablets), either alone or in combination. Compliance tests (Green-Morisky modified test) as well as a satisfaction questionnaire investigator and patient/caregiver is assessed. Data were analyzed using SPSS v. 21.0 program.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 466 patients completed the study. The average age was 52.75 ± 19.17 years old and the average over 65 years of 72.79 ± 6.15. 55.4% were men. Compliance is related to the variable 'pharmaceutical formulation' and with age (p = 0.031). The risk of non-compliance was 86.4% higher among those taking tablets versus granulates in sachets of levetiracetam (odds ratio: 1.864). Likewise, the non-compliance was greater among patients over 65 years. The non-compliance was related to attributing of memory failures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients older are more difficult to compliance. The granulates levetiracetam in sachets improves compliance.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Torrecardenas, 04009 Almeria, Espana.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Serrano-Castro
authors.affiliation: Hospital Clinico Universitario Lozano Blesa, 50009 Zaragoza, Espana.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Mauri-Llerda
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, 33006 Oviedo, Espana.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.affiliation: Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Espana.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rocamora
authors.affiliation: UAM. Universidad Autonoma de Madrid. Facultad de Psicologia, 28049 Madrid, Espana.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pardo-Merino
authors.affiliation: Juste SAQF, Coslada, Espana.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Garcia-Garcia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D010889:Piracetam / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D010889:Piracetam