title: Blood homocysteine, folate and vitamin B-12 concentrations in patients with epilepsy receiving lamotrigine or sodium valproate for initial monotherapy.
abstract: To evaluate whether the administration of lamotrigine (LTG) or valproate (VPA) changes concentrations of plasma total homocysteine (tHcy), plasma and red-cell folate and plasma Vitamin B-12, we measured these indices in a total of 20 patients with epilepsy before and after a 32-week period of monotherapy of LTG or VPA. We found that the 32-week administration of a mean daily dose of 250mg LTG had no significant effect on any of the blood indices. On the other hand, the administration of a mean daily dose of 2070mg of VPA resulted in a 57% increase in plasma Vitamin B-12 concentrations over the baseline value and a 27% decline in plasma tHcy concentrations, although the mechanisms of such changes are unknown. Our data indicate that hyperhomocysteinemia may not be a serious clinical problem among patients with epilepsy, who receive either LTG or VPA.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy and Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin, 777 Highland Ave., Madison, WI 53705, USA. begidal@pharmacy.wisc.edu
authors.forename: Barry E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Gidal
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hammer
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vuong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D000077213:Lamotrigine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014227:Triazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014227:Triazines; D006710:Homocysteine; D014635:Valproic Acid; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12; D000077213:Lamotrigine