Investigation of the Antiepileptics on Levels of Vitamin D and Calcium

Abstract

Aim: We investigated the connection between D vitamin and factors such as the type of antiepileptic agent, patient age and gender.

Methods: This retrospective case-control study enrolled a total of 301 participants, including 141 epilepsy patients with (n= 120) without drug (n=21) regimens followed up in Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University neurology outpatient clinic and 160 healthy individuals who applied to the neurology outpatient clinic for different reasons from January 2018 to January 2021. Demographics, detailed history, use of medications, duration of antiepileptic use, plasma 25-hydroxy Vitamin D and calcium levels were determined.

Results: The mean level of Vitamin D was 15.46 in the epilepsy group and 16.95 in the control group. Level of D Vitamine did not differ significantly by groups (p>0.05). There were no significant relationship regarding age and vitamin D levels in both groups while decreased Vitamin D levels were detected epileptic women. Vitamin D level was below 20 in 69.6% of healthy control group, 78.9% of carbamazepine users, 62.5% of lacosamide users, all lamotrigine users, 66.7% of levatiracetam users, and 72.4% of sodium valproate users. No significant connection were detected between levels of Vitamin D and the drug used (p>0.05) while a significant association was confirmed only between calcium levels and carbamazepine (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Vitamin D and calcium levels can be found to be low in antiepileptic users; however, except for the calcium levels in the carbamazepine group, this decrease does not constitute a significant difference.