The Serum Prolidase Enzyme Activity as a Biomarker for Evaluation of the Subclinical Vascular Damage in Children with Epilepsy.

BACKGROUD: Epilepsy is a chronic medical condition requiring long term or even lifelong therapy. Various researches have shown that epilepsy patients have vascular risk factors such as abnormal lipids, insulin, elevated oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and subclinical atherosclerosis. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the present study was to determine serum prolidase enzyme activity as a biomarker in children taking antiepileptic drug treatment through comparison with control cases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study group consists of 61 children (20 females, 41 males) with epilepsy and a control group was formed of 32 healthy individuals (14 females, 18 males). Aspectrophotometric method was used to measure serum prolidase enzyme activity. RESULTS: The epilepsy group demonstrated statistically significantly higher prolidase enzyme activity values when compared with the control group (P = 0.003). It was measured that the serum TOS and OSI values were significantly elevated in patients with epilepsy compared to controls (P < 0.001). However, serum TAS values were significantly lower in the epilepsy group than in the control group (P = 0.032). CONCLUSIONS: These results supported that epileptic patients taking the antiepileptic treatment had increased serum prolidase enzyme activity, suggesting that it may show an increased risk of subclinical vascular damage related to both chronic inflammation and fibrotic process associated with degenerated collagen turnover. Therefore, serum prolidase enzyme activity could be considered a useful biomarker for evaluation of the subclinical vascular damage in children with epilepsy on some antiepileptic drugs.

The measurement of both carotid intima-media thickness and epicardial adipose tissue thickness in children with epilepsy receiving antiepileptic drug therapy.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the carotid intima-media thickness together with the thickness of the epicardial adipose tissue in patients receiving antiepileptic drug therapy and to investigate the presence of increased cardiovascular risk in these patients. METHODS: The study included a total of 52 patients comprising 32 males and 20 females who were diagnosed as having epilepsy and who were using one or more antiepileptic drugs. The control group consisted of 34 healthy individuals comprising 16 males and 18 females. The individuals selected for the study group were requested to go to the hospital after overnight fasting. After blood sampling for serum lipid value, the carotid intima-media thickness was measured with high resolution B-mode ultrasonography and epicardial adipose tissue thickness with echocardiography in the patients and the control group subjects. RESULTS: The carotid intima-media thickness was determined as 0.47 ±â€¯0.05 mm in the patient group and 0.44 ±â€¯0.04 mm in the control group (p = 0.028). The carotid intima-media thickness was measured as 0.45 ±â€¯0.05 mm in patients with epilepsy taking monotherapy and 0.49 ±â€¯0.04 mm in those taking polytherapy (p = 0.003). The epicardial adipose tissue thickness was determined as 3.42 ±â€¯0.09 mm in the patient group and 1.72 ±â€¯0.90 mm in the control group (p = 0.000). The epicardial adipose tissue thickness was measured as 3.16 ±â€¯0.87 mm in patients with epilepsy taking monotherapy and 3.77 ±â€¯0.83 mm in those taking polytherapy (p = 0.041). CONCLUSIONS: It was determined that carotid intima-media thickness and epicardial adipose tissue thickness were significantly high in children with epilepsy taking long-term antiepileptic drugs. These results demonstrate that these patients could be at increased risk of the development of cardiovascular complications. There is a need for more extensive studies on this subject.