title: Effect of carbamazepine therapy on homocysteine, vitamin B12 and folic acid levels in children with epilepsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the levels of homocysteine, vitamin B12 and folic acid before and after 6 months of carbamazepine therapy and to correlate them with carbamazepine level at 6 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective comparative study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary care centre in North India.
  
  
  METHODS
  51 children (2-12 years of age) presenting with motor partial seizures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Carbamazepine (10-20 mg/kg/day) for 6 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  Change in serum homocysteine, B12, folic acid level.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fasting venous samples were collected before carbamazepine therapy and after six months. Homocysteine was analyzed using homocysteine enzyme immunoassay. Vitamin B12 and folic acid were estimated using electrochemiluminesence technique. Carbamazepine levels were measured at 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 51 children, 36 (males-21), were followed up and their data analyzed. Mean homocysteine level was 11.51±3.95 umol/L at recruitment and 11.77±6.65 umol/L at six months (P=0.785). At recruitment 6(16%) children had homocysteine level above 15 umol/L which increased to 10(27%) at 6 months. Mean vitamin B12 at recruitment was 292.1±111.2 pg/mL and 297.8±82.9 pg/mL at 6 months (P=0.764). Mean folic acid at recruitment was 9.98±3.45 ng/mL and 10.66±3.97 ng/mL at 6 months (P=0.358). There was no correlation between carbamazepine levels with homocysteine, vitamin B12 and folic acid (P>0.05). There was no effect of age, sex or dietary pattern on homocysteine levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hence 6 months of carbamazepine therapy did not cause significant change in serum levels of homocysteine, vitamin B12 and folic acid.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University College of Medical Sciences (University of Delhi) and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Dilshad Garden, Delhi 110095, India.
authors.forename: Vimal
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Anju
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aggarwal
authors.forename: Sangeeta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Neelam
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chillar
authors.forename: Hema
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mittal
authors.forename: M Ma
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Faridi
mesh_terms: D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020019:Neurocysticercosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D006710:Homocysteine; D002220:Carbamazepine; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12