title: Vitamin D Deficiency in Children With Newly Diagnosed Idiopathic Epilepsy.
abstract: Several studies have shown a link between vitamin D deficiency and epilepsy. This study includes 60 newly diagnosed idiopathic epilepsy patients and 101 healthy controls (between the ages of 5 and 16). Each group was also divided into two subgroups according to seasonal changes in terms of months of longer versus shorter daylight. We retrospectively evaluated the levels of calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, parathyroid hormone, and 25-OH vitamin-D3 in the study participants. Levels below 20 ng/ml were defined as vitamin D deficiency and levels of 20-30 ng/ml as insufficiency. There were no significant differences in age, gender distribution and levels of calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase and parathyroid hormone between the groups. The level of 25-OH vitamin-D3 in the patient group was significantly lower when compared to the control group (p < 0.05) (14.07 ± 8.12 and 23.38 ± 12.80 ng/ml, respectively). This difference also held true when evaluation was made according to seasonal evaluation (12.38 ± 6.53 and 17.64 ± 1.14 in shorter daylight and 18.71 ± 9.87 and 30.82 ± 1.04 in longer daylight).
authors: Department of Child Neurology, Turgut Ozal University, Ankara, Turkey mjgsonmez@yahoo.com.
authors: Fatma Mujgan
authors: FM
authors: Sonmez
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Turgut Ozal University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Ahsen
authors: A
authors: Donmez
authors: Department of Biochemistry, Turgut Ozal University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Mehmet
authors: M
authors: Namuslu
authors: Department of Family Medicine, Turgut Ozal University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Metin
authors: M
authors: Canbal
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Turgut Ozal University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Emel
authors: E
authors: Orun
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017440:Photoperiod; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012621:Seasons; D012640:Seizures / Q000503:physiopathology; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology
keywords: children; epilepsy; idiopathic; season; vitamin D deficiency