Serum folate levels in children on long-term anti-seizure medication in a Nigerian tertiary center-implications for practice and public health.

Background. Epilepsy is the most common childhood neurological disorder in Nigeria. Treatment of epilepsy is long-term and sometimes lifelong with anti-seizure medications. There are conflicting reports on the effect of anti-seizure medications on serum folate. There is therefore a need to determine the effect of a commonly used anti-seizure medication's on serum folate levels of children. This would provide an evidence-based consideration for folic acid supplementation in children on anti-seizure medication as has been suggested by some studies. Study objectives. To determine whether serum folate levels were lower in children taking long-term carbamazepine or sodium valproate, compared to a control group. Methods. Serum folic acid levels were measured from well-nourished children between the ages of 1-17 years on carbamazepine and sodium valproate monotherapy and their age/sex-matched controls, using spectrophotometry. Results. The mean serum folate levels of patients on carbamazepine (43) and sodium valproate (22) were 0.032 mg/l±0.009 and 0.028 mg/l±0.008,...