title: Patterns of antiepileptic drugs use in epileptic pediatric patients in Jordan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine prescribing patterns of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in pediatric patients with confirmed diagnosis of epilepsy, and to provide knowledge of general practice of physicians.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was a multi-center crosssectional observational study, in specialized clinics for management of epilepsy in north, central and south Jordan. This study was conducted from January 2014 to July 2014. These were 3 from university tertiary care hospitals and 4 from governmental tertiary care hospitals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 694 pediatric patients were included. Monotherapy AED use had the highest frequency 465 (67.0%), followed by dual therapy 162 (23.3%). The frequency of monotherapy in university hospitals was lower than governmental hospitals (p<0.05); however, Polytherapy was more frequent in younger children. Two old AEDs were most frequently prescribed as a monotherapy; Valproic acid 235 (50.5%) and carbamazepine 155 (33.3%). The most common combination in dual therapy was valproic acid with carbamazepine 28 (17.3%). The second most common combinations were carbamazepine with levetiracetam 21 (13.0%) or valproic acid with levetiracetam 20 (12.3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Older AED remain first line drugs for use in both monotherapy and combination therapy for epileptic disorders. Polytherapy is associated with younger kids and being treated in a university hospital.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biopharmaceutics and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Jordan, E-mail: ablabsoul@yahoo.com / ablabsoul@ju.edu.j.
authors.forename: Abla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Albsoul-Younes
authors.forename: Lubna
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gharaibeh
authors.forename: Amer A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Murtaja
authors.forename: Amira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Masri
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Alabbadi
authors.forename: Abdelkarim A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Al-Qudah
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005632:Fructose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007597:Jordan; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D008297:Male; D010634:Phenobarbital / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010889:Piracetam / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D000077236:Topiramate; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077236:Topiramate; D005632:Fructose; D002220:Carbamazepine; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D014635:Valproic Acid; D010634:Phenobarbital; D010889:Piracetam