Authors :
Presenting Author: Jonsoo Kim, MD, PhD – Chungbuk National University Hospital
Hyewon Woo, MD – Chungbuk National University Hospital
Seongwon Seo, MD – Chungbuk National University Hospital
Won Seop Kim, MD, PhD – Chungbuk National University Hospital
Rationale:
This study aimed to evaluate the impact of antiseizure medication (ASM) monotherapy on thyroid function in children with newly diagnosed epilepsy.
Methods:
We retrospectively reviewed pediatric epilepsy patients aged ≤18 years who visited Chungbuk National University Hospital between March 2020 and February 2025. Inclusion criteria were newly diagnosed epilepsy and ≥1 year of first-line ASM monotherapy. Patients with preexisting thyroid disorders, medications affecting thyroid function, or polytherapy were excluded. Changes in thyroid function (free thyroxine [fT4], thyroid-stimulating hormone [TSH]) were assessed based on ASM type.
Results:
A total of 24 patients (median age 7.6 years, range 2.3–18.6; 58.3% male) were included. The median treatment duration was 1.9 years (range 1.0–3.6). ASMs included levetiracetam (41.7%), oxcarbazepine (20.8%), valproic acid (16.7%), lamotrigine (12.5%), and perampanel (8.3%). Thyroid function remained stable in 95.8% of patients throughout treatment. One patient receiving lamotrigine exhibited transient TSH elevation (5.74 μIU/mL) at 5 months without clinical symptoms or fT4 abnormality, which normalized after 2 years without intervention.
Conclusions:
Our findings suggest that standard-dose ASM monotherapy does not significantly affect thyroid function in pediatric epilepsy patients. These results support the thyroid safety profile of newer ASMs, particularly levetiracetam and lamotrigine, consistent with previous studies.
Funding: None