ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: There is a need for early identification and
intervention of Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) to alleviate unacceptably
growing burden, morbidity and mortality associated in People With
Epilepsy (PWE). This study is aimed at identifying factors associated
with ADR and medication adherence among patients in PWE.
METHODS: It is a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study
consisting of 940 consenting participants aged 16 years and above
attending epilepsy clinics for period of 5years with diagnosis confirmed
by International League against Epilepsy (ILAE) criteria and supported
by Electroencephalography (EEG). 21-item Liverpool Adverse Effect
Profile (LEAP) and 8-item. Morinsky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS)
were used to assess ADR and adherence respectively.
RESULTS: The highest reported ADR in PWE were nervousness
(34.3%), aggression (33.6%) and weight gain (32.3%). Specifically,
(20.1%) of the participant complained of memory problem, while the
lowest were hair loss (7.2%), trouble with mouth (8.9%) and problem
with skin (9.3%). Using the MMAS, 545(90.2%), 28(4.6%) and 31(5.1%)
of PWE in this study were classified as having high, medium, and low
adherence, respectively. Duration of AEDs use and duration of epilepsy
were the major determinant of ADR in PWE on regression model.
CONCLUSION: Duration of AEDs use and duration of epilepsy are
the major determinant of ADR in PWE. Effective strategies to identify
and reduce ADR should be incorporated to management of PWE by Health
Care Providers to improve their quality of life. Furthermore, physician
should aim towards reducing the duration of AED use and the epilepsy.