The study presented by Crosley et al. in the July 1975 issue of Pediatrics (page 52) is the first dealing with noninstitutionalized children. A significantly higher value of serum alkaline phosphatase was observed in treated children than in the control population, while calcium and phosphorus abnormalities were minimal in both groups. We concluded a study on the serum alkaline phosphatase, calcium, and phosphorus levels in noninstitutionalized children, including 50 who were from 3 to 14 years old and who were receiving long-term anticonvulsant therapy (either diphenylhydantoin, phenobarbital, or both for more than 12 months) and 57 age-matched controls, all living at home.
