Abstract

OBJECTIVE

Vitamin D deficiency has been implicated in children using antiepileptic drugs. Multiple antiepileptic drugs may increase the risk of vitamin D deficiency. The aim of this study is to evaluate the vitamin D status and risk factors for vitamin D deficiency in children with refractory epilepsy.

METHODS

Forty children with refractory epilepsy seen in our tertiary pediatric neurology outpatient clinic were included and serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D, parathyroid hormone, calcium, phosphate and alkaline phosphatase were measured. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels <20 ng/mL, and insufficiency between 21 and 29 ng/mL. Correlation between vitamin D levels and type of epilepsy (generalized or localization related), etiology of epilepsy (symptomatic vs idiopathic), body mass index, seizure frequency, number of antiepileptic drugs, type of antiepileptic drugs (old or new; enzyme inducing or not), presence of intellectual disability, ambulatory status and gross motor function classification scores were evaluated.

RESULTS

The study group consisted of 17 boys and 23 girls with a mean age of 6.65 ± 5.29 years. Vitamin D deficiency was identified in 25 (62.5%) and insufficiency in 6 (15%) of the patients. There was no correlation between vitamin D levels and type of epilepsy, etiology of epilepsy, body mass index, seizure frequency, number of antiepileptic drugs, type of antiepileptic drugs, presence of intellectual disability, ambulatory status and gross motor function classification scores.

CONCLUSION

We found that vitamin D deficiency was high in this cohort of children with refractory epilepsy. Vitamin D level should be monitored in patients with refractory epilepsy irrespective of the potential risk factors.