Introduction. Vitamin D active metabolites deficit that is altered by
negative calcium and phosphorus balance is a potential complication during
long?term antiepileptic drug therapy. Objective. The aim of this study was to
examine lumbar bone mineral density (BMD) in epileptic children receiving
antiepileptic drug therapy longer than one year. methods. The examined sample
consisted of 34 epileptic children, 18 male and 16 female, aged 6?12
(9.77?2.01) years, treated with carbamazepine, valproate, phenobarbital,
lamotrigine or their combination without vitamin D supplementation. The
lumbar spine BMD (L1?L4) was estimated by a Lunar densitometer and obtained
results were compared with results of 35 matched population of healthy
children from the control group. results. Lumbar BMD Z?score was
significantly lower in female patients treated with antiepileptic therapy
compared with those in the control group (?1.048?1.35 vs. ?0.399?0.518;
p=0.03). Bone mineral density Z?score decrease of both gender groups
receiving antiepileptic polytherapy was significantly lower compared to the
control group (?1.153?0.938 vs. ?0.043?0.815; p=0.007). Therapy duration had
no influence on the lumbar BMD level decrease either in boys (rxy=0.33;
p=0.174) or in girls (rxy=0.02; p=0.935) treated with antiepileptic therapy.
Conclusion. Our results have indicated that antiepileptic drug therapy usage
longer than one year can have adverse affects on the lumbar spine BMD (L1?L4)
in epileptic children, and that prophylactic vitamin D supplementation is
also necessary in these patients.
Bone mineral density in children with long-term antiepileptic therapy
