Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 28, 2026
Author Spotlight: Advancing Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery in Children Through Novel Biomarkers and Enhanced Localization
Published on: September 20, 2024
Serum carnitine levels of children with epilepsy: Related factors including valproate
Akihisa Okumura1, Hirokazu Kurahashi1, Hideyuki Iwayama1
1Department of Pediatrics, Aichi Medical University, Japan.
Objective:
This study measured the serum carnitine levels in patients with epilepsy and determined the factors contributing to low carnitine levels.
Methods:
We measured the serum carnitine levels in 94 consecutive patients with epilepsy, including the free carnitine (FC) and acylcarnitine fractions, using an enzyme cycling method. We defined a low FC as a serum FC level < 36 μmol/L. Age, body mass index (BMI), standard deviation score of BMI (BMI-SDS), use of valproate, cognitive disorder, and feeding problems differed between patients with low and normal FC. In patients taking valproate, the associations of the serum FC level with the platelet count and serum ammonia and amylase levels were analyzed.
Results:
Univariate analysis showed that a low BMI and BMI-SDS, the use of valproate, and cognitive disorder were more frequent in patients with a low FC. Logistic regression analysis revealed that a low BMI-SDS and cognitive disorders were independently associated with a low FC. Among the patients taking valproate, a low BMI-SDS and age were associated with a low FC. The serum FC and ammonia levels were inversely correlated, whereas no correlation was observed between the serum FC level and platelet count or serum amylase level.
Conclusion:
A low BMI and cognitive disorders were related to a low FC in patients with epilepsy and the serum carnitine levels should be monitored in these patients.
More Related Videos
10:22Interictal High Frequency Oscillations Detected with Simultaneous Magnetoencephalography and Electroencephalography as Biomarker of Pediatric Epilepsy
Published on: December 6, 2016
11:28Robotic-Guided Stereoelectroencephalography for Invasive Epilepsy Monitoring
Published on: June 13, 2025
Related Concept Videos
01:31Factors Affecting Renal Clearance: Drug's Physicochemical Properties and Plasma Levels
One important factor is the drug's molecular size. The kidneys readily excrete smaller molecules below 300 Daltons (Da). On the other hand, molecules weighing between 300 and 500 Da are excreted through both urine and bile. Larger molecules above 500 Da tend to be excreted...
01:24Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview
Various factors can trigger epilepsy, including genetic factors, brain damage, metabolic causes, and unknown etiology. Diagnosis of epilepsy involves electroencephalography (EEG), which...
01:19High-Level and Low-Level Awareness
01:29Leveling Effect
02:16Transcription Factors
01:09Levels of Organization
Molecules Are Composed of Atoms, and Biomolecules Are Assembled from Molecules:
The most basic levels include atoms, molecules, and biomolecules. Atoms, the smallest unit of ordinary matter, are composed of a nucleus and electrons. Molecules...