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Treatment of epileptic patients with valproic acid does not modify plasma and urine short‐chain‐fatty acids
Author(s) -
Zaccara G.,
Boncinelli L.,
Paganini M.,
Campostrini R.,
Arnetoli G.,
Zappoli R.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
acta neurologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.967
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1600-0404
pISSN - 0001-6314
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1983.tb04832.x
Subject(s) - hyperammonemia , valproic acid , urine , epilepsy , encephalopathy , anticonvulsant , fatty acid , drug , medicine , pharmacology , chemistry , biochemistry , psychiatry
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possible modifications of the plasma and urine short‐chain‐fatty acid (SCFA) patterns induced by treatment with valproic acid (VPA). Increased amounts of SCFAs in patients under VPA treatment may explain the presence of VPA‐induced hyperammonemia, toxic encephalopathies and rarer Reye‐like syndromes recently observed. For this reason we assayed SCFA levels in the plasma and looked for propionic acid in the urine of 10 epileptic patients to whom it was decided to add VPA to their previously unsatisfactory antiepileptic treatment. This was carried out prior to and during therapy with VPA. 5 of these patients developed toxic encephalopathy with hyperammonemia induced by VPA. Our data show that plasma and urine SCFAs are not modified by VPA treatment. This is so even in patients who have toxic encephalopathy with hyperammonemia induced by this drug.