Sana S. M. Al-Yafaey1,*, Nabil Al-Macki2, Mostafa I. Waly3, Amanat Ali3, Yahya Al-Farsi4
1Nutrition Department, 2Child health and Neurology Department, Royal Hospital, Ministry of Health, Oman. 3Food Science and Nutrition Department, 4Family Medicine and Public Health Department, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
*Corresponding Author: [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Background: the effects of antiepileptic drugs (AED) on Calcium metabolism and vitamin D levels are well documented. The chronic administration of AED is correlated with bone demineralization mainly by reducing serum vitamin D level and interfering with calcium metabolism. Objective: the study was aimed to assess the nutritional and biochemical status of calcium and Vitamin D in epileptic Omani children on antiepileptic drugs. Subjects and Methods: A descriptive study approach included 36 epileptic patients (20 males and 16 females) in accordance to the inclusion criteria for this study. Dietary intake assessment was conducted for all enrolled study participants. Calcium, vitamin D, phosphorous, alkaline phosphatase, parathyroid hormone, and albumin were measured in the sera of all study participants. Results: Serum and dietary vitamin D levels were significantly reduced epileptic children as compared to reference values. Despite the low calcium intake in both genders but the serum levels of both calcium and phosphorus were normal. There was no gender differences with regard the investigated anthropometric measurements. Conclusion: The enrolled study participants have vitamin D deficiency and normal serum calcium level, this was independent of their daily dietary intake of these two nutrients.
Keywords: Vitamin D, Epilepsy, Antiepileptic Drug Therapy, Calcium
Al-Yafaey SSM, Al-Macki N, Waly MI, Ali A, Al-Farsi Y. Effect of Antiepileptic Drug Therapy on Calcium Homeostasis in Omani Children with Epilepsy. Canad J Clin Nutr 2015; 3 (2): 51-64
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.14206/canad.j.clin.nutr.2015.02.06
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