Pada terbitan bulan Februari 2011 “Annals Neorology”, Drs
LInnebank dan rekan-rekan dari University Hospital di Zurich dan University
Hospital di Bonn, Jerman, menghadirkan suatu analisis atas 2730 orang yang
dirawat dengan Obat Anti Epilepsi dan 170 orang penyandang epilepsi yang tidak
dirawat dan 200 orang tanpa epilepsi. Para peneliti menemukan bahwa perawatan
dengan carbamazepine, gabapentin, oxcarbazepine, phenytoin, primidone atau
valporate diasosiasikan dengan folat yang rendah. Serum vitamin B12 pada pasien
yang dirawat dengan valporic dibandingkan dengan keseluruhan group yang tidak dirawat dan group tanpa epilepsi . Level
Folat dan vitamin B12 di bawah angka normal diasosiasikan dengan perubahan jumlah darah. Para peneliti menyimpulkan bahwa sangat penting bagi orang-orang yang mengkonsumsi salah satu
obat di atas untuk memeriksakan tingkat B12 dan asam folatnya di dalam
tubuhnya. Bila kadarnya terlalu rendah
maka maka perlu mengkonsumsi supplemen.
Studi ini sangat penting sebagai pengingat bahwa selalu ada
potensi komplikasi dengan penggunaan obat anti epilepsi. Suplemen asam folat
dan vitamin B12 secara rutin bagi pria atau wanita sangat esensial dan
hendaknya di bawah pengawasan para professional kesehatan yang menangani
orang-orang yang memiliki serangan epilepsi.
ANTIEPILEPTIC DRUGS INTERACT WITH FOLATE AND VITAMIN B12
In the February 2011 Issue of Annals of Neurology, Drs.
Linnebank and colleagues from the University Hospital in Zurich, Switzerland,
and the University Hospital in Bonn, Germany, present an interesting analysis
looking at 2,730 individuals treated with seizure drugs and 170 untreated
patients with epilepsy and 200 healthy individuals. The investigators found that treatment with
carbamazepine, gabapentin, oxcarbazepine, phenytoin, primidone, or valproate
was associated with lower levels of folate.
Vitamin B12 serum levels were higher in patients treated with valproic
acid compared with the entire group of untreated patients and healthy controls. The folate and vitamin B12 levels below the
normal range were associated with changes in blood counts. The investigators concluded that it is
essential that individuals that are on one of these seizure medications should
have their B12 and folic acid levels checked.
If their levels are found to be low, it is also important to supplement
individuals.
This study is an important one, because it is a reminder
that there are always potential complications associated with antiepileptic
drug use. Routine supplementation of
both men and women with folic acid and vitamin B12 may be essential and should
be looked for by healthcare professionals who are caring for individuals with
seizures.
Joseph Sirven, M.D.
Editor-in-Chief, epilepsy.com
