title: Possible association between moderate intellectual disability and weight gain in valproic acid-treated patients with epilepsy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although patients with moderate intellectual disability (ID) are known to have higher rates of being overweight and obese than those without ID, there are no current data regarding the relationship between ID and weight gain in epilepsy patients treated with valproic acid (VPA).
  
  
  METHODS
  The possible association between moderate ID and an overweight status at the time of initiation of VPA therapy (baseline) was investigated using a logistic regression analysis in 143 patients with epilepsy. Among the 119 nonoverweight patients at baseline, the longitudinal association between moderate ID and the weight status during VPA therapy was retrospectively examined using a Cox hazards regression analysis and the generalized estimating equations approach, while also paying careful attention to associations with other patient characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion of patients with moderate ID was 52.4% among the 143 study subjects. The presence of moderate ID was not associated with an overweight status at baseline (P=0.762). Among the nonoverweight patients at baseline, 16 subjects were newly diagnosed as being overweight during treatment with VPA (3.6±2.1 years). The presence of moderate ID was significantly associated with the incidence of an overweight status after starting VPA therapy (adjusted hazard ratio =6.72, P=0.007). The patient age at baseline and treatment with co-administered carbamazepine, clobazam, and zonisamide significantly influenced the degree of weight fluctuation during VPA therapy among the patients with moderate ID (P<0.001, P<0.001, P=0.002, and P=0.028, respectively), whereas only patient age at baseline affected this parameter among the patients without moderate ID (P=0.022).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present findings suggest that the weight status should be carefully monitored in VPA-treated patients with moderate ID, especially those receiving other co-administered antiepileptic drugs that facilitate weight gain, such as carbamazepine.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Yukiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanamachi
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Junji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Saruwatari
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Madoka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Noai
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryoko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kamihashi
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Soraoka
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshimori
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ogusu
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oniki
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yasui-Furukori
authors.affiliation: Kumamoto Saishunso National Hospital, Koshi, Japan ; Kumamoto Ezuko Ryoiku Iryo Center, Kumamoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Takateru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishitsu
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan ; Center for Clinical Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
keywords: antiepileptic drug; longitudinal analysis; obesity; overweight; weight status