title: The impact of the use of antiepileptic drugs on the growth of children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study investigated whether long-term treatment with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) had negative effects on statural growth and serum calcium levels in children with epilepsy in Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children with epilepsy treated with one prescription of AEDs (monotherapy) for at least 1 year were selected. The AEDs included valproic acid (VPA; Deparkin) in 27 children (11 boys and 16 girls) aged 4-18 years, oxcarbazepine (Trileptal) in 30 children (15 boys and 15 girls) aged 5-18 years, topiramate (Topamax) in 19 children (10 boys and 9 girls) aged 6-18 years, and lamotrigine (Lamicta) in eight children (5 boys and 3 girls) aged 5-13 years. Patients with a history of febrile convulsions were selected as the controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One year of VPA treatment significantly impaired the statural growth of pediatric patients with epilepsy (p < 0.005) compared with the control group. The underlying mechanism may have been due to the direct effect of VPA on the proliferation of growth plate chondrocytes rather than alterations of serum calcium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results raise serious concerns about the growth of pediatric epilepsy patients who use AEDs, and potentially the need to closely monitor growth in children with epilepsy and adolescents under AED treatment, especially VPA.
authors.forename: Herng-Sheng
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Shih-Yu
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Donald M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Salter
authors.forename: Chih-Chien
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shyi-Jou
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan. fanhuengchuen@yahoo.com.tw.
authors.forename: Hueng-Chuen
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001827:Body Height / Q000187:drug effects; D001848:Bone Diseases, Developmental / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D048429:Cell Size / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D005632:Fructose / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006132:Growth Plate / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D000077213:Lamotrigine; D008297:Male; D000078330:Oxcarbazepine; D000077236:Topiramate; D014227:Triazines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D014227:Triazines; D000077236:Topiramate; D005632:Fructose; D002220:Carbamazepine; D014635:Valproic Acid; D002118:Calcium; D000077213:Lamotrigine; D000078330:Oxcarbazepine