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. 2023 Feb:139:109091.
doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2023.109091. Epub 2023 Jan 20.

Trends in antiseizure medications utilization among women of childbearing age with epilepsy in Poland between 2015 and 2019

Katarzyna Wójcik  1 , Mateusz Franciszek Kołek  2 , Małgorzata Dec-Ćwiek  3 , Agnieszka Słowik  3 , Magdalena Bosak  4
Affiliations

Trends in antiseizure medications utilization among women of childbearing age with epilepsy in Poland between 2015 and 2019

Katarzyna Wójcik et al. Epilepsy Behav. 2023 Feb.

Abstract

Purpose: To determine trends in the use of antiseizure medications (ASMs) among women of childbearing age (WOCA) and girls aged 12-14 years with epilepsy between 2015 and 2019 in Poland.

Methods: The study used data from the Pex database, which captures information on prescriptions dispensed from 85% of community pharmacies in Poland. The prescriptions issued by neurologists who provide epilepsy care in Poland were studied. Six of the most commonly prescribed ASMs were analyzed: carbamazepine, lamotrigine, levetiracetam, oxcarbazepine, topiramate, and valproate.

Results: The use of valproate and carbamazepine decreased in all age groups. Among the newer ASMs, the use of lamotrigine, levetiracetam, and topiramate increased and oxcarbazepine decreased significantly in WOCA. The only subgroup with statistically significant changes in all ASMs prescriptions were women aged 19-34 years. For girls aged 12-14 years, significant changes were found only for valproate and carbamazepine. In the last year of observation (2019) valproate and lamotrigine accounted for two-thirds of ASMs units prescribed to WOCA. Valproate accounted for half of the prescribed drug units in girls aged 12-14 years. The lowest rates of VPA prescriptions were found in women aged 19-34 years.

Conclusions: There is a change in prescribing habits in WOCA with epilepsy in Poland with trends toward using less teratogenic ASMs. However, many WOCAs are treated with valproate and topiramate despite their known teratogenicity risk. Valproate is still the most commonly prescribed ASM in WOCA and girls aged 12-14 years. Educational interventions for healthcare professionals are needed to improve prescribing practices in WOCA with epilepsy in Poland.

Keywords: Antiseizure medications; Epilepsy; Fertile women; Teratogenicity.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: MB received honoraria for publications from Sanofi; honoraria for lectures, travel expenses and conference fees from Sanofi, Adamed, Teva Pharmaceutical, Neuraxpharm, Glenmark, UCB Pharma, Zentiva, Angelini Pharma. AS received honoraria for lectures from Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis, Polpharma, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Novartis, Biogen, Teva Pharmaceutical, Medtronic; for the participation in advisory meetings from Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis. KW, MK, MDĆ: none declared.

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