Vitamin E Status in Pediatric Patients Receiving Antiepileptic Drugs

Abstract

Decreased vitamin E levels have been reported in epileptic children receiving antiepileptic drugs (AED). In order to investigate the tocopherol status of patients receiving AED, the alpha-, beta, gamma- and delta-tocopherol concentrations were each determined in 447 patients' serum samples using a high-performance liquid chromatographic method. In pediatric patient samples (n = 244, aged 1-16 years), there was a negative relationship (p less than 0.02; r = -0.153) between age and alpha-tocopherol levels, while there was a positive relationship (p less than 0.05; r = 0.142) between age and gamma-tocopherol levels. The mean (+/- SD) alpha-tocopherol levels (0.73 +/- 0.23 mg/dl) in the older children (n = 166, aged 7-16 years) were significantly lower (p less than 0.05) than the levels (0.83 +/- 0.23 mg/dl) found in the younger children (n = 78, aged under 7 years). Administration of alpha-tocopherol acetate, 3 mg/kg/day to 8 children and 5 mg/kg/day to 4 children, increased alpha- and total tocopherol levels (p less than 0.01 for both), while gamma-tocopherol levels and serum lipid peroxide levels were decreased (p less than 0.01 for both). In 203 epileptic patient samples (over 16 years of age), the mean alpha-tocopherol level (0.92 +/- 0.28 mg/dl) tended to be lower (p less than 0.1) than in 22 healthy adult controls (1.01 +/- 0.26 mg/dl).