[Investigations of serum levels of drugs in children receiving anticonvulsant medication. II. Clinical observations (author's transl)].

Although good correlation can be obtained between total daily dose and serum concentration in treatment with anticonvulsant drugs, many patients still show departures from this relation. The various factors which can influence serum concentrations of the administered drugs were to be domonstrated in a number of children who were receiving anticonvulsants at average dose levels and who developed evidence of overdose, or who failed to respond to therapy. The most important feature is that combined adminstration of several drugs may increase or inhibit metabolisation of the various substances, so that inadequate or excessively high serum concentrations result. Furthermore, irregular intake of the necessary medication must always be taken into account in the case of treatment on an out patient basis. Routine determinations of serum levels of anticonvulsant drugs in these patients are called for because of this.