Sun epilepsy: analysis of nutritional status and serum vitamin D level (VIT D)
Résumé
Rationale:
In France, the number of people with epilepsy (PWE) is estimated to 500000. Their nutritional status is poorly studied. Impaired nutritional status might play a role in the response to treatment. Vit D might be involved in some forms of epilepsy. The main purpose of this study was to describe
the nutritional status of patients with epilepsy and analyze their serum vit D level.
Methods:
After consent, a nutritional assessment was performed in 46 PWE with or without drug resistance. Weight, height, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, triceps skinfold (TS), biceps, supra-iliac, subscapular skinfolds, arm circumference, fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) by
bioimpedance were measured. The serum vit D dosage was realized before supplementation (deficiency < 30 ng/mL). Statistical analysis used Student’s t test, chi2and ANOVA.
Results:
The mean age was 44.5 ± 14.3 years, with a sex ratio M/F at 1.3. 60.9% were drug-resistant. BMI was 28.7±7.0 kg/m 2 , with 2.2% of malnourished and 30.4% obese. Vit D concentration was 15.3 ± 9.9 ng/mL with 87% of deficient patients, and 40% with severe deficiency (<10 ng/mL). The TS was higher in the drug-resistant group (p = 0.03). Drug resistance was not linked with nutritional status, other skin fold measures, FM, FFM and vit D level.
Conclusion:
The number of PWE was low, but the study shows that they are rarely malnourished, highly contrasting with previously published studies in Africa [1]. Obesity is common, possibly iatrogenic and should be more deeply studied. Vitamine D deficiency is very common, often severe, but just like nutritional status seems not to play a role on the patients drug sensitivity. It is another contrast with studies suggesting that vitamine D supplementation improves drug resistance [2,3].