title: Antiepileptic drugs and vitamin D supplementation.
abstract: The incidence of biochemical signs of vitamin D deficiency and the effects of vitamin D supplementation were investigated in 83 children and 95 adults on chronic antiepileptic therapy and 40 mentally retarded controls living under comparable conditions. Low 25-hydroxyvitamin D and serum calcium, and elevated immunoreactive parathyroid hormone and alkaline phosphatase was a common finding in all groups, but in patients on antiepileptic drugs, signs of vitamin D deficiency were recorded more frequently. Supplementation of 125 microgram or 250 microgram vitamin D3 per week for 9 months normalized the laboratory findings in most patients; the effect of 37.5 microgram/week only slightly exceeded the influences of season observed in the controls and in epileptic patients without vitamin D. It is suggested that a dose between 37.5 and 125 microgram vitamin D3/week might be most suitable to avoid biochemical signs of vitamin D deficiency in children and adults on antiepileptic drugs.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000941:Antigens; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000276:immunology; D010710:Phosphates / Q000097:blood; D012621:Seasons; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000941:Antigens; D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D010710:Phosphates; D002762:Cholecalciferol; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D002118:Calcium