INTRODUCTION: Vitamin D active metabolites deficit that is al: tered by negative calcium and phosphorus balance is a potential complication during long-term antiepileptic drug therapy. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine lumbar bone mineral density (BMD) in epileptic children receiving antiepileptic drug therapy longer than one year. METHODS: The examined sample consisted of 34 epileptic children, 18 male and 16 female, aged 6-12 (9.77+/-2.01) years, treated with carbamazepine, valproate, phenobarbital, lamotrigine or their combination without vitamin D supplementation. The lumbar spine BMD (L1-L4) was estimated by a Lunar densitometer and obtained results were compared with results of 35 matched population of healthy children from the control group. RESULTS: Lumbar BMD Z-score was significantly lower in female patients treated with antiepileptic therapy compared with those in the control group (-1.048+/-1.35 vs. -0.399+/-0.518; p=0.03). Bone mineral density Z-score decrease of both gender groups receiving antiepileptic polytherapy was significantly lower compared to the control group (-1.153+/-0.938 vs. -0.043+/-0.815; p=0.007). Therapy duration had no influence on the lumbar BMD level decrease either in boys (rxy=0.33; p=0.174) or in girls (rxy=0.02; p=0.935) treated with antlepileptic therapy. CONCLUSION: Our results have indicated that antiepileptic drug therapy usage longer than one year can have adverse affects on the lumbar spine BMD (L1-L4) in epileptic children, and that prophylactic vitamin D supplementation is also necessary in these patients.
INTRODUCTION:Vitamin D active metabolites deficit that is al: tered by negative calcium and phosphorus balance is a potential complication during long-term antiepileptic drug therapy. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine lumbar bone mineral density (BMD) in epilepticchildren receiving antiepileptic drug therapy longer than one year. METHODS: The examined sample consisted of 34 epilepticchildren, 18 male and 16 female, aged 6-12 (9.77+/-2.01) years, treated with carbamazepine, valproate, phenobarbital, lamotrigine or their combination without vitamin D supplementation. The lumbar spine BMD (L1-L4) was estimated by a Lunar densitometer and obtained results were compared with results of 35 matched population of healthy children from the control group. RESULTS: Lumbar BMD Z-score was significantly lower in female patients treated with antiepileptic therapy compared with those in the control group (-1.048+/-1.35 vs. -0.399+/-0.518; p=0.03). Bone mineral density Z-score decrease of both gender groups receiving antiepileptic polytherapy was significantly lower compared to the control group (-1.153+/-0.938 vs. -0.043+/-0.815; p=0.007). Therapy duration had no influence on the lumbar BMD level decrease either in boys (rxy=0.33; p=0.174) or in girls (rxy=0.02; p=0.935) treated with antlepileptic therapy. CONCLUSION: Our results have indicated that antiepileptic drug therapy usage longer than one year can have adverse affects on the lumbar spine BMD (L1-L4) in epilepticchildren, and that prophylactic vitamin D supplementation is also necessary in these patients.