A Multicenter, Cross-Sectional, Observational Study on Epilepsy and its Management Practices in India

Although epilepsy is a common neurological condition, there is paucity of nationwide data on treatment patterns and sociodemographic and clinical factors affecting treatment decisions in India.

To assess clinical profiles, usage pattern of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), and seizure control among patients with epilepsy in India.

This was a cross-sectional, observational, multicenter study on adult patients with epilepsy who were on AEDs for at least six months before enrollment. Data were collected from patient interviews and medical records.

Out of 800 enrolled patients, a majority (69.0%) had generalized onset seizure in the six months before enrollment. The median age at epilepsy onset was 20.0 (1.0-64.0) years; 40.0% of the patients were females, 48.5% were married, 99.1% were literate, and 67.0% belonged to the lower or upper-middle socioeconomic class. Overall, 459 patients (57.4%) received AEDs as combination therapy. Most patients received levetiracetam (37.0%), sodium valproate (18.5%), carbamazepine (17.3%), or phenytoin (13.8%) as monotherapy, and clobazam (59.7%), levetiracetam (52.9%), carbamazepine (26.4%), sodium valproate (24.8%), or phenytoin (24.0%) in combination therapy. Quality of life was comparable for first- and third-generation AEDs. Adverse drug reactions were mostly attributed to dose modification or switching between drugs. No serious adverse drug reactions or new safety concerns were identified.

Findings from this large, cross-sectional, observational, multicenter study indicate that first-generation AEDs sodium valproate and phenytoin continued to be used in a substantial number of patients on monotherapy and combination therapy in India, even though an increasing trend toward use of second-generation AEDs was noted in clinical practice.