51. Altered ovarian function and cardiovascular risk factors in valproate-treated women.
- Author
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Isojärvi JI, Taubøll E, Pakarinen AJ, van Parys J, Rättyä J, Harbo HF, Dale PO, Fauser BC, Gjerstad L, Koivunen R, Knip M, and Tapanainen JS
- Subjects
- Adult, Analysis of Variance, Anticonvulsants therapeutic use, Carbamazepine therapeutic use, Cardiovascular Diseases chemically induced, Case-Control Studies, Chi-Square Distribution, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Epilepsy blood, Epilepsy drug therapy, Female, Humans, Hyperandrogenism blood, Menstruation Disturbances blood, Menstruation Disturbances chemically induced, Obesity blood, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome blood, Risk Factors, Statistics, Nonparametric, Valproic Acid therapeutic use, Anticonvulsants adverse effects, Hyperandrogenism chemically induced, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome chemically induced, Valproic Acid adverse effects
- Abstract
Purpose: Polycystic ovaries and menstrual disturbances seem to be common among women taking valproate for epilepsy. The purpose of the present study was to assess the frequency of valproate-related metabolic and endocrine disorders in different groups of women with epilepsy., Subjects and Methods: Seventy-two women with epilepsy and 52 control subjects from centers in three European countries (Finland, Norway, and the Netherlands) participated in the study. Thirty-seven of the women with epilepsy were taking valproate monotherapy and 35 carbamazepine monotherapy., Results: The frequency of polycystic ovaries or hyperandrogenism, or both, among valproate-treated women with epilepsy was 70% (26 of 37) compared with 19% (10 of 52) among control subjects (P <0.001). They were found in 79% (11 of 14) of obese and 65% (15 of 23) of lean women on valproate, and in 20% (7 of 35) of carbamazepine-treated women. The obese valproate-treated women with polycystic ovaries or hyperandrogenism, or both, had hyperinsulinemia and associated unfavorable changes in serum lipid levels consistent with insulin resistance., Conclusions: Polycystic ovaries and related hyperandrogenism are frequently encountered in both obese and lean women taking valproate for epilepsy. The use of valproate is associated with risk factors for cardiovascular disease in obese women.
- Published
- 2001
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