title: Serum total amylase, pancreatic amylase and lipase activities in epileptic children treated with sodium valproate monotherapy.
abstract: To investigate by a prospective, self-controlled method, whether early treatment with sodium valproate (VPA) monotherapy has some effect on serum total amylase and particularly on its pancreatic isoenzyme and lipase activities in epileptic children. Serum total amylase, pancreatic amylase and lipase activities have been evaluated in 23 epileptic children, before and at 6 and 12 months of VPA monotherapy. All children remained without clinical symptoms of pancreatitis during the period of study. Serum pancreatic amylase activities were significantly decreased at 6 and 12 months of treatment with VPA, whereas serum total amylase and lipase activities did not show any significant changes at 6 or 12 months of treatment. Non-pancreatic isoenzyme activities of amylase were significantly higher at 6 and 12 months of treatment. Three patients (13%) had slightly elevated serum total amylase levels at 6 and 12 months of treatment. There was no significant correlation of serum pancreatic amylase levels or non-pancreatic isoenzyme levels of amylase with serum VPA levels at 6 and 12 months of treatment. Non-pancreatic amylase activities, probably derived from salivary glands, may be increased in children treated with VPA monotherapy. Measurement of serum pancreatic amylase and/or serum lipase activities is indicated in patients with increased serum total amylase levels but without clinical symptoms of pancreatitis and, furthermore, in patients with symptoms suggesting dysfunction of pancreas, in order to avoid unnecessary discontinuing of VPA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, P&A Kyriakou Children's Hospital, and Second Department of Pediatrics, University of Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Voudris
authors.forename: Achilleas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Attilakos
authors.forename: Eustathia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Katsarou
authors.forename: Sotiria
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mastroyianni
authors.forename: Stamatia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dimou
authors.forename: Angeliki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Skardoutsou
authors.forename: Alexia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prassouli
authors.forename: Anastasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garoufi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000681:Amylases / Q000097:blood*; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004796:Clinical Enzyme Tests; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007517:Isoamylase / Q000097:blood*; D008049:Lipase / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D014635:Valproic Acid; D008049:Lipase; D000681:Amylases; D007517:Isoamylase