Satisfaction with antiepileptic drugs in children and adolescents with newly diagnosed and chronic epilepsy

PURPOSE: To assess incidence, indicators and outcome of satisfaction with antiepileptic drugs in children. METHODS: Multicenter, observational, open, prospective survey of children and adolescents with epilepsy with three-month follow-up. Included were patients aged 3-17 years with newly diagnosed ("new diagnosis") or chronic epilepsy ("old diagnosis") requiring treatment start or change. Satisfaction was assessed with the Hedonic Visual Scale or direct questions, depending on patient’s age. Quality of life of adolescents (QOLIE-48) and of caregivers (SF-36) and predictors of (dis)satisfaction were also assessed. RESULTS: 293 patients completed the study. Most had generalized idiopathic epilepsy, and a disease lasting <12 months. Newly diagnosed patients were 60.8%. Patients declaring satisfaction were 70.6% at one month and 75.8% at three months. Compared to old diagnosis, new diagnosis carried a higher satisfaction rate and improved satisfaction at end of follow-up. Independent predictors of dissatisfaction were an old diagnosis, adverse events and SF-36 score. The latter remained the only independent predictor of persisting dissatisfaction when adjusting for the presence of and the interaction with adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: About one-fourth of children and adolescents with epilepsy are dissatisfied with treatment. Chronic epilepsy, adverse events, and parents/caregivers with poor quality of life predict dissatisfaction.