Trends in valproate use in patients in Germany between 2009 and 2017

Abstract Objective The goal of this study was to analyze trends in valproate use in patients followed by neurologists and general practitioners in Germany between 2009 and 2017. Methods This study included all patients aged ≥ 15 years followed in 2009, 2013, and 2017 in neurological (N = 99) and general (N = 499) practices in Germany. Trends in valproate use were estimated based on the mean number of patients per practice who were prescribed valproate and the proportion of physicians prescribing it. Covariables included gender, age, and physician. This cross-sectional study uses descriptive statistics only. Results In total, 1,298,446 patients were followed in general and neurological practices in 2009, 1,358,160 in 2013, and 1,413,286 in 2017. The mean number of patients aged 15–45 years per practice with at least one valproate prescription decreased in neurological (men: 11.07 versus 9.92; women: 9.27 versus 5.88) and general practices (men: 0.82 versus 0.75; women: 0.60 versus 0.37) between 2009 and 2017. Moreover, the proportion of neurologists prescribing valproate in women between 15 and 45 years of age decreased over time (94% in 2009 versus 86% in 2017), and there was also a substantial decrease in the share of general practitioners prescribing valproate in men (47% versus 41%) and women between 15 and 45 years of age (37% versus 22%). Conclusion The proportion of men and women between 15 and 45 years of age receiving valproate decreased in neurological and general practices in Germany between 2009 and 2017.