Treatment stability of valproate, carbamazepine, and levetiracetam: a therapeutic drug monitoring study

This study evaluated treatment stability–defined as the maintenance of therapeutic serum concentrations–of antiepileptic drugs in patients undergoing long-term therapy, with emphasis on the role of therapeutic drug monitoring in optimizing pharmacotherapy. A retrospective analysis of 78 patients at...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lucia Žigová, Mária Göböová, Orsolya Hrubá, Andrea Gažová, Stanislava Kosírová
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Pensoft Publishers 2025-07-01
Series:Pharmacia
Online Access:https://pharmacia.pensoft.net/article/159728/download/pdf/
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849408421940428800
author Lucia Žigová
Mária Göböová
Orsolya Hrubá
Andrea Gažová
Stanislava Kosírová
author_facet Lucia Žigová
Mária Göböová
Orsolya Hrubá
Andrea Gažová
Stanislava Kosírová
author_sort Lucia Žigová
collection DOAJ
description This study evaluated treatment stability–defined as the maintenance of therapeutic serum concentrations–of antiepileptic drugs in patients undergoing long-term therapy, with emphasis on the role of therapeutic drug monitoring in optimizing pharmacotherapy. A retrospective analysis of 78 patients at the University Hospital in Nitra (2020–2022) examined serum drug concentrations and treatment stability for valproate, carbamazepine, and levetiracetam. Psychiatric diagnoses were highly prevalent among patients using valproate (93.18%) and carbamazepine (61.10%), whereas levetiracetam was primarily prescribed for neurological conditions (60%). The proportion of patients with therapeutic serum concentrations increased from the first to the second measurement for all drugs, with carbamazepine demonstrating the most substantial improvement (66.7% to 100%). Treatment stability was highest among patients receiving carbamazepine (66.7%), compared to those on valproate (34.1%) and levetiracetam (31.3%). Outpatient status and carbamazepine use were significantly associated with greater treatment stability, underscoring the importance of patient setting and drug selection in optimizing antiepileptic therapy.
format Article
id doaj-art-d2adec7fae6d4c95bb78e10d44622e7b
institution Kabale University
issn 2603-557X
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Pensoft Publishers
record_format Article
series Pharmacia
spelling doaj-art-d2adec7fae6d4c95bb78e10d44622e7b2025-08-20T03:35:47ZengPensoft PublishersPharmacia2603-557X2025-07-01721710.3897/pharmacia.72.e159728159728Treatment stability of valproate, carbamazepine, and levetiracetam: a therapeutic drug monitoring studyLucia Žigová0Mária Göböová1Orsolya Hrubá2Andrea Gažová3Stanislava Kosírová4Comenius University BratislavaUniversity Hospital in NitraComenius University BratislavaComenius University BratislavaComenius University BratislavaThis study evaluated treatment stability–defined as the maintenance of therapeutic serum concentrations–of antiepileptic drugs in patients undergoing long-term therapy, with emphasis on the role of therapeutic drug monitoring in optimizing pharmacotherapy. A retrospective analysis of 78 patients at the University Hospital in Nitra (2020–2022) examined serum drug concentrations and treatment stability for valproate, carbamazepine, and levetiracetam. Psychiatric diagnoses were highly prevalent among patients using valproate (93.18%) and carbamazepine (61.10%), whereas levetiracetam was primarily prescribed for neurological conditions (60%). The proportion of patients with therapeutic serum concentrations increased from the first to the second measurement for all drugs, with carbamazepine demonstrating the most substantial improvement (66.7% to 100%). Treatment stability was highest among patients receiving carbamazepine (66.7%), compared to those on valproate (34.1%) and levetiracetam (31.3%). Outpatient status and carbamazepine use were significantly associated with greater treatment stability, underscoring the importance of patient setting and drug selection in optimizing antiepileptic therapy.https://pharmacia.pensoft.net/article/159728/download/pdf/
spellingShingle Lucia Žigová
Mária Göböová
Orsolya Hrubá
Andrea Gažová
Stanislava Kosírová
Treatment stability of valproate, carbamazepine, and levetiracetam: a therapeutic drug monitoring study
Pharmacia
title Treatment stability of valproate, carbamazepine, and levetiracetam: a therapeutic drug monitoring study
title_full Treatment stability of valproate, carbamazepine, and levetiracetam: a therapeutic drug monitoring study
title_fullStr Treatment stability of valproate, carbamazepine, and levetiracetam: a therapeutic drug monitoring study
title_full_unstemmed Treatment stability of valproate, carbamazepine, and levetiracetam: a therapeutic drug monitoring study
title_short Treatment stability of valproate, carbamazepine, and levetiracetam: a therapeutic drug monitoring study
title_sort treatment stability of valproate carbamazepine and levetiracetam a therapeutic drug monitoring study
url https://pharmacia.pensoft.net/article/159728/download/pdf/
work_keys_str_mv AT luciazigova treatmentstabilityofvalproatecarbamazepineandlevetiracetamatherapeuticdrugmonitoringstudy
AT mariagoboova treatmentstabilityofvalproatecarbamazepineandlevetiracetamatherapeuticdrugmonitoringstudy
AT orsolyahruba treatmentstabilityofvalproatecarbamazepineandlevetiracetamatherapeuticdrugmonitoringstudy
AT andreagazova treatmentstabilityofvalproatecarbamazepineandlevetiracetamatherapeuticdrugmonitoringstudy
AT stanislavakosirova treatmentstabilityofvalproatecarbamazepineandlevetiracetamatherapeuticdrugmonitoringstudy