%0 Journal Article
%T The patient population treated with anti-epileptic drugs in metropolitan France in 2000: data from the general scheme of the French national health insurance fund
%A Karsenty D
%A Bourdel H
%A Cherrier C
%A Dumas Y
%J Revue M¨¦dicale de l'Assurance Maladie
%D 2005
%I 
%X Aims: To determine the prevalence and more clearly define the patient population of beneficiaries in the general scheme of the French national health fund who were reimbursed for antiepileptic medications in metropolitan France in 2000, to search for geographic disparities and finally, to determine the therapeutic classes of drugs prescribed. Method: We performed a cross-sectional study using the health fund¡¯s computer database to isolate antiepileptic drugs (excluding benzodiazepines) reimbursed to affiliates during the last quarter of 2000. For our calculations, we used a higher postulate for all patients included in the study and a lower postulate which excluded those who were only receiving carbamazepine. Results: The prevalence of the patient population treated with antiepileptic drugs in metropolitan France was between 8.2¡ë lower postulate) and 10.8¡ë (higher postulate), or approximately 340,000 to 450,000 patients affiliated with the general scheme. Prevalence increased with patient age. The average age of treated patients was 46.2 years and the male/female sex ratio was 1.13. The lowest regional prevalence was seen in Alsace and the highest was found in the Limousin region. 85,2¡ë of all the patients had been reimbursed for at least one conventional antiepileptic drug and 17.8 % for one of the newer antiepileptic drugs. Almost 40% of the patients who had been reimbursed for one of the newer antiepileptic drugs had never received a conventional antiepileptic medication. Conclusion: This study provided us with objective and precise data on the use of antiepileptic medications. Geographic disparities were found. The observed differences in medical practice may be related to the absence of clear consensual guidelines.
%K antiepileptic medications
%K epilepsy
%K prevalence
%K pharmaco-epidemiology
%K France
%K regions.
%U http://www.ameli.fr/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/Population_traitee_par_antileptiques.pdf