Serum carnitine levels of children with epilepsy: Related factors including valproate.
OBJECTIVE
This study measured the serum carnitine levels in patients with epilepsy and determined the factors contributing to low carnitine levels.


METHODS
We measured the serum carnitine levels in 94 consecutive patients with epilepsy, including the free carnitine (FC) and acylcarnitine fractions, using an enzyme cycling method. We defined a low FC as a serum FC level < 36 μmol/L. Age, body mass index (BMI), standard deviation score of BMI (BMI-SDS), use of valproate, cognitive disorder, and feeding problems differed between patients with low and normal FC. In patients taking valproate, the associations of the serum FC level with the platelet count and serum ammonia and amylase levels were analyzed.


RESULTS
Univariate analysis showed that a low BMI and BMI-SDS, the use of valproate, and cognitive disorder were more frequent in patients with a low FC. Logistic regression analysis revealed that a low BMI-SDS and cognitive disorders were independently associated with a low FC. Among the patients taking valproate, a low BMI-SDS and age were associated with a low FC. The serum FC and ammonia levels were inversely correlated, whereas no correlation was observed between the serum FC level and platelet count or serum amylase level.


CONCLUSION
A low BMI and cognitive disorders were related to a low FC in patients with epilepsy and the serum carnitine levels should be monitored in these patients.
['Okumura|Akihisa|A|', 'Kurahashi|Hirokazu|H|', 'Iwayama|Hideyuki|H|', 'Numoto|Shingo|S|']
D000293:Adolescent D015992:Body Mass Index D002331:Carnitine D002648:Child D002675:Child, Preschool D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction D004827:Epilepsy D005260:Female D006801:Humans D007223:Infant D008297:Male D012189:Retrospective Studies D014635:Valproic Acid D055815:Young Adult
Valproate Free carnitine Body mass index Cognitive disorder Ammonia