Abstracts

Rationale: To prospectively investigate the alterations in cognition, bone mineral density (BMD), markers of bone metabolism, and chemistry profile induced by oxarbazepine (OXC) monotherapy in patients with focal epilepsy.Methods: We enrolled 31 drug-na ve, newly diagnosed patients with epilepsy aged between 18 and 57. Cognitive tests consist of Korean-Wechsler adult intelligence scale (K-WAIS), Korean-California verbal learning test (K-CVLT), Korean-Boston naming test (K-BNT), digit span gest (DST), Rey complex figure test (RCFT), controlled oral word association test (COWAT), Korean-color word stroop test (K-CWST), trail making test (TMT), and Wisconsin card sorting test (WCST). BMD at lumbar spine (1st-4th) and right femur neck and various markers for bone metabolism were measured. Chemistry and hormone profiles such as complete blood count, liver function test, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, cholesterol, electrolytes, calcium, phosphorus, urine protein, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamine D3, parathyroid hormone, fasting insulin, glucose, cholesterol, osteocalcin, C-telopeptide, IGF-1, bone alkaline phosphatase, and OXC concentrations were measured. These tests were performed before and after 6 months of OXC monotherapy. Patients gave details of seizure type and frequency, and medical and drug history.Results: Finally, 28 subjects (14 females; mean age, 32 years) completed all tests. Mean duration of OXC administration was 260.6 48.9 days with mean dose of 187.5 107.5 (50-400) mg/d. Mean seizure frequency was 2.1 1.9/month. After 6 months of OXC treatment, subjects showed a significant improvement in language, copy time and delayed recall in RCFT, free recall and recognition in K-CVLT, and some items in COWAT, K-CWST, TMT, and WCST. There was no decline in the results of cognitive tests after OXC treatment. Chemistry profiles, BMD, and various markers of bone metabolism were not affected by OXC monotherapy.Conclusions: These findings showed that OXC has positive effects on verbal and visual memory, visuospatial function, naming ability, and frontal executive function in patients with epilepsy. OXC did not deteriorate BMD and chemistry profile after 6 months of treatment.