Editors' Note: Does Screening for Adverse Effects Improve Health Outcomes in Epilepsy? A Randomized Trial

Abstract

In “Does Screening for Adverse Effects Improve Health Outcomes in Epilepsy? A Randomized Trial,” Franco et al. compared the Adverse Event Profile (AEP) score after 18 months between patients with uncontrolled seizures and a high initial AEP score whose physicians were notified about the AEP score and those whose physicians were not provided the score. The AEP score decreased during the study period for both groups, but there was no significant difference between adverse effects between groups. Bruzzone commented that the AEP score improvement in both groups may be related to heightened awareness of adverse events by both physicians and patients because of participation in this study. She further noted that these results demonstrate the importance for physicians and patients to be cognizant of the potential for adverse events and identify methods to address them given that these events affect quality of life. Franco and Perucca agreed that study participation could have affected the results and that screening for adverse events should be routine, as should patient and physician education about adverse events, the ways in which they affect quality of life and methods to optimize treatment regimens. In “Does Screening for Adverse Effects Improve Health Outcomes in Epilepsy? A Randomized Trial,” Franco et al. compared the Adverse Event Profile (AEP) score after 18 months between patients with uncontrolled seizures and a high initial AEP score whose physicians were notified about the AEP score and those whose physicians were not provided the score. The AEP score decreased during the study period for both groups, but there was no significant difference between adverse effects between groups. Bruzzone commented that the AEP score improvement in both groups may be related to heightened awareness of adverse events by both physicians and patients because of participation in this study. She further noted that these results demonstrate the importance for physicians and patients to be cognizant of the potential for adverse events and identify methods to address them given that these events affect quality of life. Franco and Perucca agreed that study participation could have affected the results and that screening for adverse events should be routine, as should patient and physician education about adverse events, the ways in which they affect quality of life and methods to optimize treatment regimens.