RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the influence of VPA treatment on neutrophils' oxidative metabolism and oxidant status in epileptic children.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Twenty-six newly diagnosed epileptic children with idiopathic epilepsy and 30 healthy children were included in the study. The activation rates of neutrophils and stimulation indexes were detected in patients before and 6 months and 12 months after VPA treatment respectively and in all the healthy children by flow cytometry with dihydrorhodamine as fluorochrome. The activities of myeloperoxidase from neutrophils were also detected. Malondialdehyde as an indicator of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase were measured in plasma respectively.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The activation rates of neutrophils in patients treated with VPA after 6 and 12 months were (11.50 ± 6.52)% and (14.31 ± 5.76)% respectively, which were significantly higher than the data of control group (5.90 ± 3.77)% and pretreatment level (7.42 ± 3.15)%. The stimulation indexes 6 and 12 months after VPA therapy were (474.88 ± 118.98) and (416.31 ± 110.00) respectively, which were lower than the data of control group (544.83 ± 140.83) and pretreatment level (535.23 ± 111.55). The plasma MPO activities and levels of malondialdehyde in VPA treated patients were also higher while the activities of SOD and CAT were significantly lower than the control and untreated groups. GSH-Px levels did not differ between the groups. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the time of treatment and the activation rates of neutrophils were indicators which had positive correlation with the levels of plasma MDA and that SOD activities were inversely correlated with MDA levels.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>VPA which is frequently used in childhood epilepsy may activate the neutrophils of patients and cause oxidative stress and prolonged treatment may aggravate it.</p>