Background

This study was conducted to assess the patterns of prescribing and response to antiseizure medications (ASMs) in patients with epilepsy in Palestine. It also aimed to assess the prevalence of drug-resistant seizures despite adherence to ASMs and the variables that could be associated with the etiology of epilepsy, type of seizures, and response to ASMs among Palestinian patients.

Methods

This was a retrospective study conducted in different hospitals in the West Bank of Palestine. The data were collected from the medical records of the patients.

Results

A total of 378 patients with epilepsy were included. The median age at the onset of seizures was 22.0 [14.0, 39.0] years. The majority of the patients (85.7 %) had generalized seizures. Of the patients, 200 (52.9 %) were initially prescribed ASMs as monotherapy. Later, the majority (91.5 %) of the patients were switched to polytherapy. The prevalence of drug-resistant seizures was 22.0 %. There was a significant association between having drug-resistant seizures with having a lower income level, having other chronic diseases, a history of febrile seizures, having genetic epilepsy, being on initial polytherapy, carbamazepine, valproic acid, and not being on levetiracetam or topiramate.

Conclusion

The findings of this study provide important insight into the real-world pharmacotherapy of epilepsy and seizures in the Palestinian practice. The study also established consideration-worthy associations between the etiology of epilepsy and seizures and response to treatment with ASMs. The findings of this study are informative to epileptologists, neurologists, and other healthcare professionals who care for patients with epilepsy. In addition, the findings of this study can be used by decision-makers who might be interested in improving the pharmacotherapy and outcomes of patients with epilepsy.

Title

Heliyon

Publisher

Elsevier

Publisher Country

United Kingdom

Indexing

Scopus

Impact Factor

3.6

Publication Type

Both (Printed and Online)

Volume

11

Year

2025

Pages

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