Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences

Published by : PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL PUBLICATIONS

ISSN 1681-715X

HOME   |   SEARCH   |   CURRENT ISSUE   |   PAST ISSUES

-

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

-

Volume 25

 July - September 2009

Number 4


 

Full Text
PDF of this Article

Valporic acid: is it safe to use in
epileptic pediatric patient?

Abdulbaki Karaoglu1, Sebahattin Vurucu2, Vedat Okutan3, Ahmet Emin Kurekci4,
Tuncer Caycý5, Avni Atay6, Ridvan Akin7, Erdal Gokcay8

ABSTRACT

Objective: To evaluate the effects of a 3-month low dose valporic acid treatment (20 mg/kg/day) on liver function tests, hematologic parameters, serum lipids and lipoprotein (a) levels in children.

Methodology: Twenty-one newly diagnosed epileptic pediatric patients, nine female and 12 male, aged between 18 months and 14 years old (mean age 6.3±4.3 years), were enrolled in this study. valporic acid treatment was started with a dose of 20 mg/kg/day. To evaluate the effects of valporic acid on liver function tests, hematologic parameters, and serum lipids and lipoprotein levels were measured in pre-treatment and post-treatment 3rd month and values in pre-treatment were compared with values in post-treatment 3rd month.

Results: There were no statistically significant differences between pre-treatment and post-treatment 3rd month values regarding liver function tests, hematologic parameters, and serum lipids (p>0.05). But lipoprotein (a) levels in the post-treatment 3rd month (40.71±50.73 mg/dl) were significantly higher than the pre-treatment levels (25.86±36.54 mg/dl) (p<0.01).

Conclusion: It was demonstrated that low dose of valporic acid treatment did not have any significant effects on liver function tests, hematologic parameters and serum lipids after three months. On the other hand it caused an increase in lipoprotein (a) levels. We consider that although these are the initial results for lipoprotein (a) levels and further studies should be undertaken on a larger sample size to confirm our observations, epileptic pediatric patients receiving low dose of valporic acid should not be routinely checked for liver function tests, hematologic parameters and serum lipid profiles, but serum levels of lipoprotein (a) may be monitorized carefully.

KEY WORDS: Valporic acid, Liver function tests, Hematologic parameters, Serum lipids, Lipoprotein (a).

Pak J Med Sci    July - September 2009    Vol. 25 No. 4    539-544

How to cite this article:

Karaoglu A, Vurucu S, Okutan V, Kurekci AE, Caycý T, Atay A, et al. Valporic Acid: Is it safe to use in epileptic pediatric patient? Pak J Med Sci 2009;25(4):539-544.


1. Abdulbaki Karaoglu,
2. Sebahattin Vurucu,
3. Vedat Okutan,
4. Ahmet Emin Kurekci,
5. Tuncer Caycý,
6. Avni Atay,
7. Ridvan Akin,
8. Erdal Gokcay
1-8: Department of Pediatrics
Gulhane Military Medical Academy,
Etlik, Ankara,
Turkey.

Correspondence

Sebahattin Vurucu
Gulhane Military Medical Academy
Department of Pediatric Neurology
Etlik, Ankara,
Turkey.
E-mail: sebahattinvurucu@yahoo.com

* Received for Publication: February 20, 2009
* Revision Received: July 11, 2009
* Revision Accepted: July 13, , 2009



HOME   |   SEARCH   |   CURRENT ISSUE   |   PAST ISSUES

Professional Medical Publications
Room No. 522, 5th Floor, Panorama Centre
Building No. 2, P.O. Box 8766, Saddar, Karachi - Pakistan.
Phones : 5688791, 5689285 Fax : 5689860
pjms@pjms.com.pk