title: Epilepsy and antiepileptic drugs: risk factors for atherosclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epilepsy is a chronic disease that affects metabolism either alone or through the antiepileptic drug (AED) treatment. A risk of atherosclerosis has been found in epileptic patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Prove the potential role of epilepsy and/or its treatment as atherosclerotic risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty Egyptian patients with primary idiopathic epilepsy were compared to 20 healthy controls. B-mode ultrasound examination of the common carotid artery intima-media thickness (CCA IMT), measurement of serum lipid profile, fibrinogen and high sensitive C-reactive protein were performed to both groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients had significantly increased right and left CCA IMT (p < 0.05); elevated levels of HDL (p < 0.01) and hs-CRP (p = 0.009) in comparison to control subjects. Positive correlation was found between IMT and hs-CRP (p < 0.05) as well as fibrinogen level (p < 0.05). Carbamazepine level was positively correlated to triglycerides (r = 0.748, p = 0.013) and Valproate level was positively correlated to hs-CRP serum level (r = 0.556, p = 0.032).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Epilepsy and AED's are potential risk factors for atherosclerosis. Weak relation between epilepsy and/or AED's and lipid profile was found. Hs-CRP may be implicated in atherosclerosis in epileptic patients.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Forayssa M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Talaat
authors.forename: Tayssir
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kamel
authors.forename: Amany M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Rabah
authors.forename: Sandra M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Shaimaa I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: El-Jaafary
authors.forename: Ghada H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Abdelaziz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004534:Egypt; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D014280:Triglycerides; D014527:Uric Acid; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002784:Cholesterol
keywords: atherosclerosis; epilepsy; fibrinogen; hs-C reactive protein; serum lipids