Vascular risk factors and oxidative stress as independent predictors of asymptomatic atherosclerosis in adult patients with epilepsy.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the carotid artery intima-media thickness (CA-IMT) in adult patients with epilepsy and its contribution to oxidative stress and vascular risk biomarkers.

METHODS: This study included 225 adult epileptic and 60 control subjects. For all, CA-IMT, fasting lipid profile (TC, TG, HDL-c and LDL-c), total homocysteine (tHcy), von Willbrand factor (vWF), fibrinogen, oxidized LDL (Ox-LDL), malondialdehyde (MDA), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARs), uric acid, total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH.Px), were assessed.

RESULTS: Compared to control group, the IMT of patients' common carotid artery, bifurcation area and internal carotid arteries was significantly thickened in 51.1%, 73.3% and 43.6% in various groups of patients (treated and untreated). In the studied patients, the levels of tHcy, vWF, fibrinogen, MDA, TBARs, Ox-LDL levels were increased while HDL-c and TAC were decreased. Patients on CBZ showed the most significant changes in the levels of tHcy, vWF and HDL-c while patients on VPA showed significant alteration in uric acid, TBARs and GSH.Px.

CONCLUSION: This study supports that in patients with epilepsy, various vascular risk factors and CA-IMT, get worse which could be attributed to epilepsy itself and/or its antiepileptic medications.