RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Serum levels of zinc and copper in epileptic children during long-term therapy with anticonvulsants
JF Neurosciences Journal
JO Neurosciences (Riyadh)
FD Prince Sultan Military Medical City
SP 341
OP 345
DO 10.17712/nsj.2015.4.20150336
VO 20
IS 4
A1 Talat, Mohamed A.
A1 Ahmed, Anwar
A1 Mohammed, Lamia
YR 2015
UL http://nsj.org.sa/content/20/4/341.abstract
AB Objective: To evaluate the serum levels of zinc and copper in epileptic children during the long-term treatment of anticonvulsant drugs and correlate this with healthy subjects.Methods: A hospital-based group matched case-control study was conducted in the Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt between November 2013 and October 2014. Ninety patients aged 7.1±3.6 years were diagnosed with epilepsy by a neurologist. The control group was selected from healthy individuals and matched to the case group. Serum zinc and copper were measured by the calorimetric method using a colorimetric method kit.Results: The mean zinc level was 60.1±22.6 ug/dl in the cases, and 102.1±18 ug/dl in the controls (p<0.001). The mean copper level was 180.1±32.4 ug/dl in cases compared with 114.5±18.5 ug/dl in controls (p<0.001).Conclusion: Serum zinc levels in epileptic children under drug treatment are lower compared with healthy children. Also, serum copper levels in these patients are significantly higher than in healthy people. No significant difference in the levels of serum copper and zinc was observed in using one drug or multiple drugs in the treatment of epileptic patients.