STUDY OF BONE DENSITY : AN AFTER EFFECT OF CHRONIC TREATMENT WITH ANTIEPILEPTIC DRUGS IN EPILEPTIC CHILDREN

Abstract

Abstract tt Objective : this study aims to examine the effect of valproate and carbamazepine monotherapy or polytherapy on bone mineral density in epileptic children.

Methods : axial bone mineral density (L-Ls) was measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry in 30 children with idiopathic epilepsy (patients group) and 12 healthy children (control group) of the same cohort as the patients group. The epileptic children treated with either valproate monotherapy (n=14) or carbamazepine monotherapy (n=8) or both drugs as polytherapy (n=8) for more than one year. Serum level of 25(OH)D5,, Ca, P and alkaline phospharase were also measured.

Results : the results of this study showed that the patients group had a highly statistically significant reduction in bone mineral density. This reduction increased with the increase duration of the therapy. Valproate monotherapy reduced BMD in 7 patient (4 osteopenic and 3 osteoprotic), while carbamazepine monotherapy reduced BMD in 1 patient ( osteoprotic). Polytherapy reduced BMD in 5 patients (4 osteopenic and l osteoprotic). There were a highly statistically significant decrease in serum level of 25(OH)D,; statistically significant decrease in serum level of P and a statistically significant increase in serum level of alkaline phosphatase in patients group.