ABSTRACT
Immunoassay reagents, in addition to commercially available quality control materials and proficiency testing challenges, are widely available for classical anticonvulsant drugs including phenytoin,
carbamazepine, valproic acid (VPA), primidone, and ethosuximide. Commercial immunoassays and support materials are less commonly available, or are in development, for newer anticonvulsant drugs such as topiramate, lamotrigine and zonisamide. Class-based immunoassays are available for phenobarbital (barbiturates) and clonazepam (benzodiazepines), but they are not routinely used for TDM. No commercial immunoassays are currently available for some anticonvulsant drugs, such as oxcarbazepine and levetiracetam. The lack of immunoassay reagents for newer anticonvulsant drugs is a significant impediment to performing routine TDM in a time and cost-efficient manner, especially for smaller hospital laboratories.
