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Antiseizure Drug Levels in Children Aged 2–12 Years Presenting With Breakthrough Seizures: A Single Center Cross-sectional Study

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Abstract

Objective

To study the antiseizure drug levels and associated factors in children with breakthrough seizures.

Methods

This cross-sectional study conducted at a public hospital from November, 2017 to April, 2019, included 145 children with epilepsy aged 2 to 12 years presenting with breakthrough seizure. Antiseizure drug levels were measured, and the levels were categorized as within, below, and above the reference range.

Results

Children with epilepsy receiving sodium valproate, phenytoin and carbamazepine were 111 (73%), 31 (20.4%) and 10 (6.6%), respectively, of which 7 were receiving multiple antiseizure drugs. Drug levels below the reference range were found in 64 (44.1%), within the reference range in 70 (48.3%), and the above reference range in 11 (7.6%) children.

Conclusion

Nearly half the children with breakthrough seizures had sub-therapeutic levels, especially those on phenytoin therapy. Drug levels in below therapeutic range were not associated with occurrence of breakthrough seizures.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, University College of Medical Science and GTB Hospital, Delhi, 110095, India

    Rajan Garg, Anju Aggarwal & Manish Narang

  2. Department of Neuropsychopharmacology, Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences, Delhi, India

    Sangeeta Sharma

  3. Department of Statistics, Delhi Cancer Registry, Dr. BRAIRCH, AIIMS, New Delhi, India

    Rajeev Malhotra

Authors
  1. Rajan Garg
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  2. Anju Aggarwal
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  3. Sangeeta Sharma
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  4. Manish Narang
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  5. Rajeev Malhotra
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rajan Garg.

Additional information

Ethics clearance

Institutional ethics committee of University College of Medical Sciences; No. IEC-HR/2017/32/93, dated October 17, 2017.

Contributors

AA: conception and design; RG: collection and assembly of data; RG,AA,SS,MN: manuscript writing, review of literature, intellectual inputs: RM,RG,AA: data analysis and interpretation. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript, and are accountable for all aspects of the study.

Funding

None

Competing interest

None stated.

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Cite this article

Garg, R., Aggarwal, A., Sharma, S. et al. Antiseizure Drug Levels in Children Aged 2–12 Years Presenting With Breakthrough Seizures: A Single Center Cross-sectional Study. Indian Pediatr 58, 850–852 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13312-021-2307-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13312-021-2307-2

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