Affiliations: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ain
Shams University, Cairo, Egypt | Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine,
Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
Abstract: Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the weight gain
associated with Valproic acid (VPA) use but it is still not clear. We aimed to
investigate the effect of VPA on the level of two of the peptides involved in
the regulation of the energy balance (ghrelin and resistin) in children with
epilepsy and their relation to growth parameters, VPA level and characteristics
of their epileptic disorder. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 34
children with epilepsy on VPA monotherapy. Growth parameters (weight, height
and body mass index) were evaluated and trough serum VPA, serum ghrelin and
resistin levels were measured and results were compared to the matched
controls. Ghrelin levels were significantly higher in the patients than the
control group (mean 110.2 ± 41.23 pg/mL and 55.73
± 24.9 pg/mL, respectively), while resistin levels were
not different in both groups (mean 1.68 ± 1.82 ng/mL and
1.0 ± 0.22 ng/mL). Levels of resistin were high in
patients with idiopathic epilepsy compared to the control group. Ghrelin and
resistin levels did not show a significant correlation to growth parameters.
The degree of seizure control and the VPA levels did not seem to affect the
results of either hormone. In conclusion, ghrelin levels are increased in
children with epilepsy in comparison to healthy controls, which may be a part
of hormonal dysfunction secondary to seizures. Our results did not demonstrate
a role of VPA use in the observed changes.
Keywords: Ghrelin, resistin, epilepsy, valproic acid, children
