title: Homocysteine levels in epileptic children receiving antiepileptic drugs.
abstract: The aim of this study is to investigate the homocysteine, folic acid, and vitamin B(12) levels in epileptic children receiving antiepileptic drugs. A total of 25 children with idiopathic epilepsy (8 valproate, 11 carbamazepine, and 6 oxcarbazepine) and 10 healthy children were included in the study. The mean homocysteine, folic acid, and vitamin B(12) levels in the study group were 7.57 +/- 3.78 micromol/L (normal = 5-15 micromol/L), 10.19 +/- 4.05 ng/mL (normal = 3.0-17 ng/mL), and 428.20 +/- 256.12 pg/mL (normal = 193-983 pg/mL), respectively. The differences between the mean plasma homocysteine, folic acid, and vitamin B(12) levels of the study and control groups were not significant (P = .522; P = .855; P = .798, respectively). However, plasma homocysteine levels were higher than the normal cutoff point accepted for childhood in 4 (16%) of the study patients. Out of these 4 children, 3 were from the carbamazepine group and 1 was from the valproate group. Although the number of the study patients is limited, the authors recommend assessment of plasma homocysteine, serum vitamin B(12), and folic acid levels in children receiving enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey. semra.kurul@deu.edu.tr
authors.forename: Semra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kurul
authors.forename: Aycan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Unalp
authors.forename: Uluç
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Yiş
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D020138:Hyperhomocysteinemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D000078330:Oxcarbazepine; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D006710:Homocysteine; D002220:Carbamazepine; D014635:Valproic Acid; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12; D000078330:Oxcarbazepine