Hair analysis as a potential index of therapeutic compliance in the treatment of epilepsy.

Twenty-three patients resident at the Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy, who have been prescribed carbamazepine either as monotherapy or in combination with other antiepileptic drugs have been monitored for a period of 6 months. Monthly hair samples along with concomitant plasma samples have been collected over this period and the 1 cm from scalp hair sections and the plasma concentrations of carbamazepine measured. The relationship between dose, hair and plasma concentrations have been assessed as well as the monthly variability in the concentration of carbamazepine in both matrices.