| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2014 | Volume
: 17
| Issue : 3 | Page : 272-276 |
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Derangements in bone mineral parameters and bone mineral density in south Indian subjects on antiepileptic medications
George Koshy1, Ron Thomas Varghese1, Dukhabandhu Naik1, Hesargatta Shyamsunder Asha1, Nihal Thomas1, Mandalam Subramaniam Seshadri1, Mathew Alexander2, Maya Thomas2, Sanjith Aaron2, Thomas Vizhalil Paul1
1 Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Unit-III, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
2 Department of Neurological Science, Unit-III, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
Correspondence Address:
Thomas Vizhalil Paul
Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Christian Medical College, Vellore - 632 004, Tamil Nadu
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0972-2327.138489
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Background: Although there are reports describing the association of alternations of bone and mineral metabolism in epileptic patients with long-term anticonvulsant therapy, there are only limited Indian studies which have looked at this aspect. Objectives: This study was done to compare the prevalence of changes in bone mineral parameters and bone mineral density (BMD) in ambulant individuals on long-term anticonvulsant therapy with age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched healthy controls. Materials and Methods: There were 55 men (on medications for more than 6 months) and age- and BMI-matched 53 controls. Drug history, dietary calcium intake (DCI), and duration of sunlight exposure were recorded. Bone mineral parameters and BMD were measured. Results: The control group had a significantly higher daily DCI with mean ± SD of 396 ± 91 mg versus 326 ± 101 mg (P = 0.007) and more sunlight exposure of 234 ± 81 vs 167 ± 69 min (P = 0.05). BMD at the femoral neck was significantly lower in cases (0.783 ± 0.105 g/cm 2 ) when compared to controls (0.819 ± 0.114 g/cm 2 ). Majority of the patients (61%) had low femoral neck BMD (P = 0.04). There was no significant difference in the proportion of subjects with vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/mL) between cases (n = 32) and controls (n = 37) (P = 0.234). Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency was seen in both the groups in equal proportions, highlighting the existence of a high prevalence of this problem in India. Low femoral neck BMD found in cases may stress the need for supplementing calcium and treating vitamin D deficiency in this specific group. However, the benefit of such intervention has to be studied in a larger proportion of epileptic patients. |
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