title: Retinal nerve fiber layer and macular thickness in adolescents with epilepsy treated with valproate and carbamazepine.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate retinal nerve retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and macular thickness by using optical coherence tomography (OCT) in epileptic adolescents before and during monotherapy with valproic acid (VPA) and carbamazepine (CBZ).
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined prospectively 45 epilepsy patients with partial and generalized epilepsy. The patients were evaluated before the beginning of therapy and after 1 year of VPA or CBZ monotherapy. Forty-five untreated healthy controls were evaluated at baseline and after 1 year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the beginning of the study, the two groups of patients showed RNFL and macular thickness measurements similar to control values. At the end of the follow-up, the data of the three groups were similar to baseline, showing no significant differences in the evaluated parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study demonstrates that no modification of RNFL and macular thickness parameters is found after 1 year of treatment with VPA and CBZ monotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Surgery, Section of Ophthalmology, University of Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Lucio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lobefalo
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rapinese
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Altobelli
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Di Mascio
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lattanzi
authors.forename: Pier Enrico
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Gallenga
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chiarelli
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verrotti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D003117:Color Vision Defects / Q000175:diagnosis; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008266:Macula Lutea / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D002220:Carbamazepine; D014635:Valproic Acid