[Study of the influence of anticonvulsant treatment on thyroid function]

We studied in two groups of epileptic patients the thyroid alterations induced by anticonvulsant therapy (AC). Group I (28 cases): T4t and TSH were measured before and after 3 and 6 months on treatment with AC. Group II (75 cases on treatment): thyroid hormones were measured only once. In cases with low value of T4t or high TSH a TRH test and FT4 determination were performed. In group I two cases with low T4t were found after six months on treatment (7%), one of them with low FT4 and both with normal TSH. In group II we found 6 cases (7.8%) with low T4t and FT4, two of them with high TSH. It was not possible argue against factor and the low incidence reported argue against rutinary screening. Anycase, this screening will never be performed before the lag time observed (6 months).