Autoantibodies in Epilepsy.
Abstract number :
2.169
Submission category :
Year :
2001
Submission ID :
2295
Source :
www.aesnet.org
Presentation date :
12/1/2001 12:00:00 AM
Published date :
Dec 1, 2001, 06:00 AM
Authors :
J.A. Ranua, M.D., Neurology, Seinäjoki Central Hospital, Seinäjoki, Finland; K. Luoma, M.D., Neurology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland; J. Peltola, M.D., Neurology, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland; A-M. Haapala, M.D., Microbiology, University o
RATIONALE: Increased prevalence of autoantibodies in patients with epilepsy has been suggested to be associated with antiepileptic drugs. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) in a cohort of 1386 epilepsy patients. Effects of medication, type of epilepsy, duration of epilepsy and seizure frequency on the presence of autoantibodies were assessed.
METHODS: Frequency of ANA and aCL were studied in a cohort of 1386 patients with epilepsy. A similar number of control subjects were obtained from the Finnish Population Registry. They were matched for age, gender and municipality of residence. Informed consent and blood samples were eventually obtained from 891 patients and and 575 control subjects.
RESULTS: The presence of aCL was increased in patients with epilepsy when compared to control subjects (p= 0.010). In particular, the presence of aCL was increased in partial epilepsy (p=0.024) and in patients who had more than one seizure per month (p=0.007). Lamotrigine was the only antiepileptic drug associated with ANA in a patients versus control subjects comparison (p=0.033).
CONCLUSIONS: Patients with epilepsy have an increased prevalence of aCL, which is associated with refractory and partial epilepsy. On the other hand, epilepsy patients in general do not have a higher prevalence of ANA when compared to control subjects except when treated with lamotrigine. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the clinical significance of the presence of these autoantibodies in patients with epilepsy.
Support: Oulu University Hospital, Tampere University Hospital and Seinäjoki Central Hospital.