Related Experiment Videos
Does long-term use of valproate cause weight gain in prepubertal epileptic children?
Hüseyin Caksen1, Gülhis Deda, Merih Berberoğlu
1Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Yüzüncü Yil University, Van, Turkey. huseyincaksen@hotmail.com
Insights
Long-term valproate (VPA) use did not cause weight gain in prepubertal children with epilepsy. Serum leptin levels and BMI remained similar between VPA-treated patients and controls, indicating no significant metabolic changes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Endocrinology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Valproate (VPA) is a common antiepileptic drug used in children.
- Concerns exist regarding VPA's potential impact on weight and metabolic markers like leptin.
- Understanding these effects is crucial for managing pediatric epilepsy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of long-term valproate (VPA) use on weight gain in prepubertal children with epilepsy.
- To evaluate serum leptin levels in prepubertal children receiving VPA.
- To determine if VPA treatment is associated with significant changes in body mass index (BMI).
Main Methods:
- A case-control study comparing 15 prepubertal epileptic children on VPA with 16 age-matched healthy controls.
- Measurements included weight, height (to calculate BMI), and serum leptin levels.
- Statistical analysis was performed to compare groups and assess correlations.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in weight gain, BMI, or serum leptin levels was observed between the VPA group and the control group.
- While some VPA-treated patients experienced weight gain, the overall incidence was similar to controls.
- A significant correlation between BMI and serum leptin was found in the VPA group, but not in controls.
Conclusions:
- Long-term valproate (VPA) treatment does not appear to cause significant weight gain in prepubertal children with epilepsy.
- Serum leptin levels and BMI remain comparable between VPA-treated children and healthy controls.
- Further research may explore the specific correlation between BMI and leptin in this population.
Abstract:
In this experiment, we studied the effect of valproate (VPA) on weight gain, and serum leptin levels in prepubertal epileptic children receiving VPA. Our purpose was to determine whether or not long-term use of VPA causes weight gain in childhood, and to evaluate serum leptin levels in a group of prepubertal children receiving VPA. Our study included 15 patients (9 males, 6 females) with new diagnosed epilepsy and 16 healthy age-matched controls (9 males, 7 females). The subjects' ages ranged from 9 months to 12 years. Weight gain was noted in 9 (60%) of 15 patients in the study group, and 8 (50%) of 16 subjects in the control group (p > .05). There was no difference between the groups for body mass index (BMI) and serum leptin levels. Although higher serum leptin levels were found in the patients treated with VPA weight gaining (5.65 +/- 3.06 ng/ml vs. 3.28 +/- 1.69 ng/ml), we did not find a difference between the patients weight gaining and nonweight gaining (p > .05). While a significant correlation between BMI and serum leptin levels was found in the study group (r = .704; p = .003), it was not significant in the control group (r = .330; p = .211). In conclusion, our findings showed that long-term use of VPA did not cause weight gain in a group of prepubertal children receiving VPA and, parallel to this, serum leptin levels were similar in both the control and study group.