title: Antiepileptic drugs and high prevalence of low bone mineral density in a group of inpatients with chronic epilepsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Long-term antiepileptic drug use is associated with low bone mineral density (BMD), fractures and abnormalities in bone metabolism. We aimed at determining the prevalence of bone mineral disorders in patients with refractory epilepsy treated with antiepileptic drugs.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey was conducted in adult patients (n = 205) from a residential unit of a tertiary epilepsy centre. Screening for bone mineral disorders was performed with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan of spine and hip (including bone mineral density and vertebral fracture assessment) and laboratory measurements. Patient information regarding demography, epilepsy characteristics and medication use was recorded. Based on DXA T-scores, prevalence of bone mineral disorders (osteopenia and osteoporosis) was calculated. Correlations between DXA T-scores and epilepsy parameters were explored.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 205 patients, there were 10 dropouts. 80% (n = 156/195) of the patients had low BMD: 48.2% had osteopenia and 31.8% had osteoporosis. Of those having low BMD, 51.9% (n = 81/195) was between 18 and 50 years. The T-score of the femoral neck correlated significantly with total duration of epilepsy, cumulative drug load and history of fractures. Linear regression analysis showed that of the epilepsy-related parameters, only cumulative drug load significantly predicted low femoral neck T-score (P = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this high-risk population, we obtained a very high prevalence of 80% of low BMD. Both men and women were affected as well as patients <50 years of age. This study illustrates the magnitude of the problem of bone mineral disorders in chronic epilepsy.
authors: Department of Neurology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands; Research school of Mental Health & Neuroscience, Maastricht, The Netherlands; Department of Neurology, Atrium Medical Centre Parkstad, Heerlen, The Netherlands.
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Beerhorst
authors: I Y
authors: IY
authors: Tan
authors: M
authors: M
authors: De Krom
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Verschuure
authors: A P
authors: AP
authors: Aldenkamp
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000188:drug therapy; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004827:Epilepsy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants
keywords: antiepileptic drugs; bone mineral density; epilepsy; osteopenia; osteoporosis