Abstract

Objective: Valproic acid is widely prescribed for the treatment of various neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. This study aimed to determine the effect of valproic acid therapy, which is thought to have weight gain effect on nutritional status and some biochemical factors in children with epilepsy.


Material and Methods: The study included 30 children and adolescents who received valproic acid monotherapy because of the diagnosis of epilepsy. Selected biochemical parameters before and 12 months after treatment were recorded retrospectively from the patient files. Valproic acid doses ranged from 11-40 mg/kg/day and plasma levels were maintained within the therapeutic limits throughout the study. The anthropometric measurements of the patients were recorded in the WHO Anthro program for children aged 1-5 years and the WHO Anthro-Plus program for children aged 5-18 years.


Results: The epilepsy age of the patients was determined as 48.85±38.16 months; and they have been receiving valproic acid therapy at a dose of 25.00±10.75 mg/kg/day for 18.95±6.02 months. While no difference was found in terms of hunger VAS scores before and after treatment, VAS scores of appetite increased and satiety decreased (p<0.05). BMI-SDs, fasting insulin, HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels increased after treatment (p<0.05).


Conclusion: For this reason, it was thought that it is important to include a dietitian in multidisiplinary team for growth and weight monitoring in children receiving VPA therapy.

Keywords: epilepsy, hunger, nutritional status, obesity

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How to cite

1.
Köseler E, Bayram S. Does Valproate Treatment in Childhood Epilepsy Affect Nutritional Status and Biochemical Parameters?. Turk J Pediatr Dis [Internet]. 2022 May 30 [cited 2025 May 24];16(3):225-9. Available from: https://turkjpediatrdis.org/article/view/889