Pharmacokinetic considerations for anti-epileptic drugs in children

Introduction: Epilepsy is a chronic and debilitating neurological disease, with a peak of incidence in the first years of life. Today, the vast armamentarium of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) available make even more challenging to select the most appropriate AED and establish the most effective dosing regimen. In fact, AEDs pharmacokinetics is under the influence of important age-related factors which cannot be ignored. Areas covered: Physiological changes occurring during development age (different body composition, immature metabolic patterns, reduced renal activity) can significantly modify the pharmacokinetic profile of AEDs (adsorption, volume of distribution, half-life, clearance), leading to an altered treatment response. We reviewed the main pharmacokinetic characteristics of AEDs used in children, focusing on age-related factors which are of relevance when treating this patient population. Expert opinion: To deal with this pharmacokinetic variability, physicians have at their disposal two tools: 1) therapeutic drug concentration monitoring, which may help to set the optimal therapeutic regimen for each patient and to monitor eventual fluctuation, and 2) the use of extended-release drug formulations, when available. In the next future, the development of ‘ad-hoc’ electronic dashboard systems will represent relevant decision-support tools making the AED therapy even more individualized and precise, especially in children.