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Weight gain in children treated with valproate

Cynthia Sharpe1, Tanya Wolfson, Doris A Trauner

  • 1Department of Neurosciences, Division of Pediatric Neurology, University of California-San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, California 92093, USA.

Journal of Child Neurology
|March 5, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Valproate treatment in children with epilepsy may cause weight gain, but pediatric patients seem less affected than adults. Longer treatment duration showed a negative correlation with weight gain, suggesting a potential protective effect.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Clinical Pharmacology
  • Epilepsy Management

Background:

  • Valproate is a common antiepileptic drug used in children.
  • Weight gain is a significant adverse effect of valproate, but its prevalence and predictors in pediatric populations are not well-established.
  • Conflicting data exists regarding the incidence of valproate-induced weight gain in children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the incidence of weight gain in pediatric patients treated with valproate.
  • To identify potential clinical predictors associated with valproate-induced weight gain in children.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective chart review of 94 pediatric patients treated with valproate.
  • Calculation of the slope of body mass index z-scores over time (Deltaz-score) to quantify weight change.
  • Univariate analyses to assess relationships between Deltaz scores and potential clinical predictors.

Main Results:

  • 24.5% of patients (23/94) experienced a Deltaz score >0.25 SD/year, and 12.8% (12/94) had a Deltaz score >0.5 SD/year.
  • Pediatric patients demonstrated a lower propensity for weight gain compared to adult populations.
  • A significant negative correlation was observed between the duration of valproate treatment and the Deltaz score.

Conclusions:

  • Weight gain is a concern with valproate in children, but appears less frequent than in adults.
  • Longer duration of valproate therapy may be associated with less weight gain.
  • No other significant clinical predictors for valproate-induced weight gain were identified in this pediatric cohort.

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