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Background: Headache is a common problem in the pediatric population. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate visual evoked potentials (VEP) and brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP) in children with headache. Methods: Thirty-seven children fulfilling the International Headache Society Criteria for a diagnosis of migraine, 35 children with tension-type headache and 40 healthy children (control group) were enrolled in the study. Results: The mean age of patients and controls was 10.4 years. P100 latency and amplitudes of migraine patients were significantly higher than children with tension-type headache and control subjects. Children with tension-type headache also had higher P100 latency and amplitude values than control subjects but there was no statistical difference. BAEP responses were similar between all groups. Conclusion: Measurement of VEP latency and amplitude is a valuable and reliable test for the diagnosis of migraine and can be used safely in childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To assess the effects of anti-epileptic drugs on renal tubular function. Methods: Urinary N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase activity was measured in 114 epileptic children (mean age 5.6 ± 1.1 years) who were undergoing monotherapy with valproate ( n = 46), carbamazepine ( n = 34), lamotrigine ( n = 13) and combined therapy with valproate+carbamazepine ( n = 21). Results: The urinary N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase index of valproate ( P < 0.01), carbamazepine ( P < 0.05) and polytherapy group ( P < 0.01) were significantly elevated when compared with that of the control group. No significant difference in N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase levels was found between the lamotrigine group and the control subjects. We found that the distribution of the N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase values of patients depended significantly on the length of therapy ( P < 0.01). The level of urinary excretion of N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase was significantly higher in the patients who were taking long-term treatment (>10 years) with valproate, carbamazepine and combined therapy than those taking therapy shorter than 10 years ( P < 0.01). The mean serum concentrations of valproate and carbamazepine were 68.7 ± 17.44 µg/mL and 5.41 ± 1.23 µg/mL, respectively. There was a significant correlation between the serum concentration of valproate and urinary N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase levels ( r = 0.44, P < 0.01). There was also a significant correlation between the serum concentration of carbamazepine and N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase excretion ( r = 0.52, P < 0.01). Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that in patients treated with valproate and carbamazepine, an impairment of tubular function can be present, whereas lamotrigine does not cause any significant change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]