title: Does anticonvulsant treatment influence pain perception in epileptic children?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aims of our study were to evaluate pain perception in epileptic children and to establish the influence of anticonvulsant drugs on pain perception.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study involved 40 children, 30 with epilepsy and 10 healthy control subjects. In the group of epileptic children, 10 were not treated and 20 assumed a single drug. From all children of each group, one sample of saliva was collected through a noninvasive device 15 minutes before (t0), during (t1), and 15 minutes after (t2) blood withdrawal, and salivary α-amylase activity was then determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No statistically significant difference was found at t0 and at t1, indicating that in both groups venipuncture equally induced a state of stress. Conversely, at t2 a statistically significant difference (p = 0.0195) was found, suggesting that epileptic children presented a greater sensitization to pain and a slower recovery from stress. Comparing furthermore data obtained in children with epilepsy not treated with those registered in treated ones, we found a statistically significant difference at t0 (p = 0.012), at t1 (p = 0.037), and at t2 (p = 0.011).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anticonvulsant drugs do not seem to influence pain perception and enzymatic activity levels in epileptic patients.
authors: Department of Pediatric Sciences, A. Gemelli University Hospital, Rome, Italy. pferrara@rm.unicatt.it
authors: Pietro
authors: P
authors: Ferrara
authors: Giorgia
authors: G
authors: Bottaro
authors: Silvia
authors: S
authors: Angeletti
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Ianniello
authors: Valerio
authors: V
authors: Romano
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: del Bufalo
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Chiaretti
authors: Domenica
authors: D
authors: Battaglia
authors: Giordano
authors: G
authors: Dicuonzo
mesh_terms: D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005145:Face; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement; D058748:Pain Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D055291:Salivary alpha-Amylases / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D055291:Salivary alpha-Amylases