The association between BsmI polymorphism and bone mineral density in young patients with epilepsy who are taking phenytoin.

PURPOSE: This study sought to determine the association between BsmI polymorphism and bone mineral density, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, and parathyroid hormone levels in patients with epilepsy. METHODS: We recruited ambulatory young adults with epilepsy who were taking phenytoin. Data regarding demographics, basic laboratory studies, history of clinical epilepsy, parathyroid hormone, and vitamin D levels, as well as BsmI polymorphism of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene, were obtained. The bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine and left femur were measured using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. KEY FINDINGS: Ninety-four patients were included in the study. BsmI polymorphism had a statistically significant lower T-score of the lumbar spine and left femoral neck than patients with wild-type VDR gene (p < 0.01 and p < 0.01, respectively). In addition, patients with BsmI polymorphism had a statistically significant lower z-score of the lumbar spine and left femoral neck than patients with wild-type VDR gene (p < 0.01 and p < 0.01, respectively). The 25-hydroxyvitamin D level in patients with wild-type genes was higher than in epileptic patients with BsmI polymorphism (p < 0.01 and p < 0.01, respectively). Parathyroid hormone level in patients with wild-type VDR gene or patients having BsmI polymorphism was not correlated with BMD at either site. SIGNIFICANCE: In patients with epilepsy taking phenytoin, having BsmI polymorphism was associated with lower BMD.

Bone mineral density following long-term use of antiepileptic drugs in a tropical Asian country.

The objective of this study was to investigate bone mineral density (BMD) in Thai epileptics who had been receiving long-term, antiepileptic drugs. Subjects were epileptic patients aged 15 to 50 years who had been taking antiepileptic drugs for longer than six months. All were free of disease and none was taking any medication that might interfere with bone metabolism other than antiepileptic drugs. BMD at the left femoral neck and spine was measured with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Demographic data, basic laboratory studies and history of clinical epilepsy were obtained. One hundred and thirty patients (63 males and 67 females) were included. Mean age (+ SD) was 31.9 +/- 9.7 year. There were 79 patients receiving monotherapy and 51 patients receiving polytherapy. All patients had normal serum calcium. Thirteen patients had slightly low serum phosphate levels. The BMD at the femoral neck had a mean Z-score - 0.15 +/- 1.17 and the mean Z-score at the lumbar spine was - 0.56 +/- 1.03. Thirty one patients had osteopenia at the spine and 30 patients at the femoral neck. Three patients had osteoporosis of the spine and 1 patient of the femoral neck. There was found to be no significant correlation between age, sex, body mass index, duration of treatment and type of antiepileptic drug with bone mineral density at the femur and spine. The mean BMD of long-term antiepileptic users was lower than that of the sex and age-adjusted mean.

Hypovitaminosis D in long-stay hospitalized patients in Songklanagarind Hospital.

The major source of vitamin D is endogenous synthesis under sunlight exposure, thus, vitamin D deficiency is uncommon in healthy people living in a tropical area where sunshine is plentiful. However, long-stay hospitalized patients who do not get direct sunlight may become vitamin D deficient. The authors studied the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in patients without other risk factors for vitamin D deficiency who had been admitted to Songklanagarind Hospital for longer than 27 days. The second objective was to identify predictive factors for vitamin D deficiency. Considered variables were clinical character, basic laboratory results, and intact parathyroid hormone level (iPTH). Among 60 patients studied, there were 12 patients who were vitamin D deficient and only one had a level lower than 8 ng/ml. Despite vitamin D deficiency, average serum calcium was normal. Patients in the vitamin D deficient group had lower serum corrected calcium and higher iPTH level than patients in the vitamin D sufficient group. No other clinical or laboratory data could predict a vitamin D deficiency state. In summary, the present tropical area study showed that 20 per cent of long-stay hospitalized patients who had a mild degree of vitamin D deficiency and 1.7 per cent had severe vitamin D deficit. Vitamin D supplementation is unnecessary in this group of patients.

Screening for microalbuminuria in type 2 diabetes: a reconsideration.

To study the effect of timing of urine collection in determination of microalbuminuria in type 2 diabetic patients, timed urine (night time and daytime) as well as spot urine (first morning and random morning) samples were collected from 44 type 2 diabetic patients, 21 with normoalbuminuria and 23 with microalbuminuria. The methods of spot urine albumin expression for microalbuminuria were also compared between albumin concentration (AC) and albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR). Night time albumin excretion rate (AER) was 16 per cent lower and daytime AER was 13 per cent higher than 24-h AER (p<0.001). Forty-one (93%) of both night time and daytime urine samples had results corresponding with 24-h AER. For the spot urine, expression as AC showed a slightly stronger correlation with 24-h AER than expression as ACR. The levels of albumin in random morning urine samples were 50 and 35 per cent significantly higher than those in first morning urine samples when expressed as AC and ACR, respectively. In conclusion, because of low diurnal variation of AER, either daytime or night time urine could be used for screening of microalbuminuria in type 2 diabetes. Since mean albumin levels obtained from random morning urine were higher than those obtained from first morning urine, the cut-off level should be set higher in random morning urine in order to give comparable sensitivity in predicting microalbuminuria. The spot urine, either first morning or random morning urine, had a good correlation with the 24-h AER whether expressed as AC or ACR. Given the cost of the latter, the authors suggested measuring spot urine AC instead of ACR for screening of microalbuminuria in type 2 diabetes.