Abstracts

Rationale: Multiple drug resistance is a common problem in the treatment of epilepsy. The mechanism underlying the resistance to antiepileptic drugs may depend on the antiepileptic drug transport to epileptic focus. We investigated the association between polymorphism related to MDR1 in drug resistant epilepsy versus drug responsive patients. Methods: DNA samples were obtained from 60 patients aged 2 to 18 years (mean: 9.28 4.96) with drug responsive epilepsy, 59 patients with drug resistant epilepsy aged 2 to 16 years (mean:6.68 4.21) and 76 unrelated healthy subjects. Genotype of the C3435T polymorphism was determined by polymerase chain reaction followed by melting curve analysis. Results were expressed as genotype and allele frequencies per drug response, drug resistant and healty control group and compared by X2 -test. Results: Genotype frequencies in drug resistant patients were as follows; 32.2 % CC, 44.1 % CT, 23.7 % TT, in drug responsive group; 20 % CC, 50 % CT, 30 % TT, in control group; 24.3 % CC, 50 % CT, 25.7 % TT. Comparison of drug resistant and drug responsive patients revealed no significant difference in genotype frequency (p:0.31). The findings in the epilepsy patients were not significantly different from the healty control subjects (p: 0.92). Conclusions: There are conflicting data as to whether the CC or TT genotype of the 3435C>T polymorphism is associated with drug resistance. Our study did not support any significant association between the MDR1 polymorphism and drug resistant childhood epilepsy.