Anti-seizure Medications and Their Effect on Body Mass Index
Abstract number :
2.396
Submission category :
7. Anti-seizure Medications / 7D. Drug Side Effects
Year :
2024
Submission ID :
247
Source :
www.aesnet.org
Presentation date :
12/8/2024 12:00:00 AM
Published date :
Authors :
Presenting Author: Syed Owais, MD – University of Toledo
Paige Prologo-Richardson, MD – University of Toledo
Fahham Asghar, MD – University of Toledo
Hira Pervez, MD – University of Toledo
Sidra Saleem, MD – University of Toledo
Anum Riaz, MD – University of Toledo
Ajaz Sheikh, MD – University of Toledo
Imran Ali, MD – University of Toledo
Rationale: Obesity is a frequent, dangerous, and expensive chronic illness that is on the rise in the US. Obesity has multifactorial etiology. It is estimated that 1 in 3 men and 1 in 4 women have a Body mass index (BMI) greater than 25. Commonly used anti-epileptic/anti-seizure medications have been linked to causing disturbances in weight. We want to determine the effect of the use of anti-seizure medications, either individually or in combination and their effect on BMI.
Methods: Patients diagnosed with epilepsy and aged ≥18 years were included in the study population from our epilepsy database (2019-current) and their current medication status including whether they were taking monotherapy or polytherapy for epilepsy and which anti-seizure medication were collected. Body Mass Index (BMI) of patients on their first visit was analyzed and compared to the BMI on their latest visit using SPSS software, variables were compared using chi-square test and means of groups were compared using t-test. Patients BMIs were grouped as underweight (BMI < 18.5), normal (18.5-24.99), overweight (25-29.99) and obese (30 or above).
Results: A total of 789 patients were analyzed out of which 158 were not taking any medications and hence were excluded from the analysis. 450 were on monotherapy, while 181 patients were on polytherapy. The mean BMI on the first visit was 28.29±7.50 compared to 29.11±7.89 (p-value ≤0.05) on the most recent visit. 25% were overweight initially compared to 24.2% on their most recent visit while 37% were obese initially vs 40.7% most recently. The mean initial BMI for those on monotherapy was 28.29±7.18 compared to 29.27±7.64 on their latest visit (p-value ≤0.05). 27.6% were categorized as overweight initially vs 25.2% most recently and 37.2% as obese vs 40.5% on their most recent visit. The mean initial BMI for those on polytherapy was 28.29±7.18 compared to 29.27±7.63 on their latest visit (p-value ≤0.05). 21% of those were categorized as overweight initially vs 21.3% most recently and 37% were obese vs 41.4% most recently. The mean interval between initial and last visit was 20±9.82 months. 78 patients were taking topiramate as monotherapy and their initial mean BMI was 28.41±7.27 and their most recent BMI was 28.33±7.31 (p value 0.946). 89 patients were taking Divalproex sodium and their initial visit mean BMI was 28.03±7.60 compared to most recent visit mean BMI 30.39±8.35 (p-value ≤0.05).
Conclusions: Both monotherapy and polytherapy in epilepsy are associated with BMI changes in patients. Over time, the percentage of patients in the obese category increased. While topiramate is associated with weight loss in the literature, our study population showed no significant weight decrease in patients taking topiramate as monotherapy while divalproex sodium is associated with significant weight gain when used individually
Funding: No funding was received
Anti-seizure Medications