title: The effect of long-term antiepileptic treatment on serum cholesterol (TC, HDL, LDL) and triglyceride levels in adult epileptic patients on monotherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Antiepileptic drugs influence, among others, cholesterol and lipoprotein serum levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum cholesterol (TC, HDL-c, and LDL-c) and triglyceride (TG) levels were measured in 103 epileptic patients receiving chronic antiepileptic monotherapy and in 103 age- and sex-matched controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with controls, patients on carbamazepine showed significant higher TC, HDL-c, and LDL-c and non significantly higher TG values. Patients on phenobarbital showed no statistically significant differences in TC, HDL-c, LDL-c and TG values. Patients on phenytoin showed significantly higher LDL-c values and non-significant differences in TC, HDL-c and TG values. Patients on valproate showed significantly lower TC, LDL-c and TG values and non-significant differences in HDL-c values. Changes in serum lipid profiles did not correlate with drug plasma levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest a need for monitoring serum TC, HDL-c, LDL-c and TG levels and, perhaps, prescribing a low-cholesterol diet in patients receiving carbamazepine and phenytoin, but not phenobarbital.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Athens Medical School, Eginition' Hospital, Greece.
authors.forename: Triantafyllou
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nikolaos
authors.forename: Gatzonis
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stylianos
authors.forename: Nikolaou
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chryssoula
authors.forename: Petropoulou
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Irini
authors.forename: Manolis
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Christos
authors.forename: Triantafyllou
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dimitrios
authors.forename: Patsis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Konstantinos
authors.forename: Tsagaropoulos
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Antonis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010634:Phenobarbital / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D002220:Carbamazepine; D014635:Valproic Acid; D010672:Phenytoin; D002784:Cholesterol; D010634:Phenobarbital