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Blood Ammonia Level during Valproic Acid Therapy
Author(s) -
Kugoh Toshiaki,
Yamamoto Mitsutoshi,
Hosokawa Kiyoshi
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
psychiatry and clinical neurosciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.609
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1440-1819
pISSN - 1323-1316
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1819.1986.tb03182.x
Subject(s) - valproic acid , ammonia , medicine , pharmacology , chemistry , epilepsy , psychiatry , biochemistry
We determined the blood ammonia level of epileptic patients in relation to valproic acid (VPA) therapy. A total determination of 256 specimens obtained from 174 cases were analyzed. The materials were assigned to the following three treatment groups: (a) VPA‐monotherapy, (b) VPA‐polytherapy and (c) non‐administration of VPA. The distribution ranges of the blood ammonia level (μg/dl) were 40.5, 56.6 and 40.7 in mean, respectively. The VPA‐polytherapy group showed a significantly higher level compared with the other two groups. On the other hand, the latter two groups showed no difference. There was a positive relationship between the blood ammonia and VPA serum levels with statistical significance. In conclusion, a critical factor causing hyperammonemia seemed to be the multiple use of antiepileptic drugs including VPA.