Effects of the antiepileptic drugs on peripheral nerve function.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to compare the effects of antiepileptic drugs and provide findings of peripheral nerve impairment using standard electrophysiological techniques.


METHODS
Young adult outpatients with epilepsy on monotherapy for no less than 6 months with carbamazepine (CBZ), valproic acid (VPA), oxcarbazepine (OXC) and topiramate (TPM) were examined. Patients who had any other disease that could effect nerve conduction studies and who had neuropathic symptoms were excluded.


RESULTS
Each group contained 15 patients and 20 healthy subjects were examined as the control group. Prolonged latency of median sensory nerve (P = 0.004), ulnar sensory nerve (P = 0.01) and sural nerve (P = 0.003) with a diminished nerve conduction velocity was observed in the CBZ group (P = 0.014, P = 0.002, P = 0.025, respectively). No correlation was found between VPA, OXC and TPM and the nerve conduction studies (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Valproic acid, oxcarbazepine and topiramate don't have effects on nerve conduction studies. Mild electrophysiological changes contribute to carbamazepine therapy.
Boylu
E
E
GATA Training Hospital, Neurology Department, Istanbul, Turkey. eceboylu@yahoo.com
Domaç
F M
FM
Misirli
H
H
Senol
M G
MG
Saraçoğlu
M
M
D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005632:Fructose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000187:drug effects; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000187:drug effects; D000078330:Oxcarbazepine; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000187:drug effects*; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013497:Sural Nerve / Q000187:drug effects; D000077236:Topiramate; D014459:Ulnar Nerve / Q000187:drug effects; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077236:Topiramate; D005632:Fructose; D002220:Carbamazepine; D014635:Valproic Acid; D000078330:Oxcarbazepine