Background: Epilepsy is a central nervous system disorder in which brain activity becomes irregular, causing seizures or periods of unusual behavior, sensations, and sometimes loss of awareness. Serum copper level may change due to long-term use of antiepileptic drugs. Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases with a prevalence rate varying from 2.8 to 19.5 per 1000 general population and it prevails more especially among school children.
Objective: The purpose of the present study was to assess
the serum copper level in childhood epilepsy treated with long-term
Anti-Epileptic drugs (AED).
Methodology: This cross-sectional study was carried out in
the Department of Pediatric Neurology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical
University (BSMMU) from March to August 2013. The sample size was one hundred,
among these fifty were case (epileptic children who had received anti-epileptic
drugs (Carbamazepine and/or Valproic acid) for more than three months) and the
rest fifty were control (newly diagnosed epileptic children, who had yet not
received antiepileptic drug). Serum copper (Cu) was measured by atomic
absorption spectrophotometer. After collecting all the data, analysis has been
done by using SPSS and the results are displayed in tables and diagrams.
Results: The mean copper level was 1.11±0.32 µg/ml in case
group and 0.96±0.20 µg/ml in the control group, which was statistically
significant (p<0.05). In this study, epileptic group had a 34% family
history of epilepsy, while in control group it was 16% and that was
statistically significant (p<0.05).
This study also indicated that 78% generalized tonic clonic
seizures were in the epileptic group and 70% were in the control group. Serum
levels of copper in patients with epilepsy on treatment (particularly with
sodium valproate and carbamazepine) were high.
Conclusion: The use of one drug or multiple drugs in the
treatment of epileptic patients may play a significant role in increasing
copper serum levels.
Author (s) Details
Md. Ranzu Ahmed
Bangladesh University of Health Sciences (BUHS), Mirpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Israt Jahan
Bangladesh University of Health Sciences (BUHS), Mirpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Shamim-Ara-Sarkar
Consultant in Dermatology and Venereology, Praava Health, Banani, Dhaka,
Bangladesh.
Habibur Rahman
Institute of Health Technology, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Mohammad Jahangir
Alam Sarker
BIHS General Hospital, Mirpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Faridul Alam
angladesh University of Health Sciences (BUHS), Mirpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Please see the book here:- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/prrat/v3/60
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