Associations between risk factors for valproate hepatotoxicity and altered valproate metabolism

The effects of three risk factors for valproate (VPA) hepatotoxicity (i.e., young age, polypharmacy, and high VPA serum level) on the metabolism of VPA to its monounsaturated metabolites [2-en-VPA (2-en), 3-en-VPA (3-en) and 4-en-VPA (4-en)] were investigated in 106 patients treated with VPA (56 cases of monotherapy and 50 cases of polytherapy). In the monotherapy group, there was a significant negative correlation between age and 4-en/VPA ratio. In the same group, the 4-en/VPA ratio showed a significant positive correlation with serum VPA level, while 3-en/VPA and 2-en/VPA ratios showed significant negative correlations. In patients greater than 10 years, the 4-en/VPA ratio was significantly higher, while the 2-en/VPA ratio was significantly lower in the polytherapy group than in the monotherapy group. Our results indicate that all three risk factors clearly increase the metabolic conversion of VPA to 4-en, the most toxic VPA metabolite, and that polytherapy and high VPA serum level result in the inhibited beta-oxidative metabolism of VPA to 2-en. These altered VPA metabolic profiles are strikingly similar to the abnormal VPA metabolism previously reported in cases with fatal hepatic failure. Although VPA-induced fatal hepatotoxicity has been regarded as an idiosyncratic reaction, it is possible that these three factors enhance susceptibility to VPA hepatotoxicity by altering the metabolism of VPA.