HAIR ANALYSIS AS A POTENTIAL INDEX OF THERAPEUTIC COMPLIANCE IN THE TREATMENT OF EPILEPSY

Twenty-three patients resident at the Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy, wh o have been prescribed carbamazepine either as monotherapy or in combi nation with other antiepileptic drugs have been monitored for a period of 6 months. Monthly hair samples along with concomitant plasma sampl es have been collected over this period and the 1 cm from scalp hair s ections and the plasma concentrations of carbamazepine measured. The r elationship between dose, hair and plasma concentrations have been ass essed as well as the monthly variability in the concentration of carba mazepine in both matrices. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.