J Korean Child Neurol Soc.  2002 May;10(1):81-86.

The Pattern of Weight Gain and Change of Peripheral Serum Lipid Profiles in Idiopathic Epileptic Children Treated with Valproate

• Kim IC
• Kim ES
• Bae EJ
• Park WI
• Lee HG
• Lee KJ

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study was performed to investigate the change of weight and body composition, and lipid profiles in the idiopathic epileptic children treated with valproate.
METHODS
We measured the weight, height, left arm circumference, left triceps skinfold thickness of 30 idiopathic epileptic children treated with valproate before, at 1 month and 4 months of treatment. We also analyzed the serum lipid profiles of the patients before and at 4 months of treatment. We analyzed the change of Body Mass Index (BMI), Arm Muscle Area(AMA), Arm Fat Area(AFA), and the serum lipid profiles. Two-way analysis of variance, chi-square test and paired-t test were used for statistical analysis.
RESULTS
There was no statistically significant change in BMI, AFA, AMA of the patients. But the weight of 13(44.3%) children increased greater than 10% with valproate treatment. AMA were not changed, but AFA were significantly increased, 791.2+/-209.6 mm2 before treatment, 858.1+/-246.6 mm2 at 1 month, 1051.7+/-393.2 mm2 at 4 months, in 13 patients, whose weight gain were greater than 10%(P<0.05). There was no change in cholesterols, low density lipoproteins, high density lipoproteins of the 30 children.
CONCLUSION
The increase of the weight in the children treated with valproate resulted from the increase body fat. So the weight gain may be a risk factor of obesity

Keyword

Valproate; Body mass index; Arm fat area; Arm muscle area; Lipid profiles

MeSH Terms

Adipose Tissue
Arm
Body Composition
Body Mass Index
Child*
Cholesterol
Humans
Lipoproteins, HDL
Lipoproteins, LDL
Obesity
Risk Factors
Skinfold Thickness
Valproic Acid*
Weight Gain*
Cholesterol
Lipoproteins, HDL
Lipoproteins, LDL
Valproic Acid