Abstracts

RATIONALE: Seizures are known to lead to free radical generation in animal seizure models. Some studies of epileptic patients have found that lipid peroxidation in patients with epilepsy was significantly higher and antioxidants may be lower. Antiepileptic drugs may also alter antioxidant capacity and increase lipid hydroperoxide.
The aim of this study was to determine if epilepsy and/or the use of multiple antiepileptic drugs were associated with altered blood lipid peroxidation and antioxidants.
A review of this poster should enable the participant to be familar with epilepsy and reactive oxygen species and antioxidants.
METHODS: Blood samples for the measurement of free radicals were taken from 20 adult patients with epilepsy, excluding those taking anti-oxidant medications. These patients had controlled or uncontrolled epilepsy and were on one or several antiepileptic drugs. Measurements of ROS included: 5Thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS) as an index for lipid peroxidation, Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and Catalase (CAT) and Superoxide dismutase (SOD) as indices for anti-oxidants.
RESULTS: Seizure duration and polypharmacy did not correlate with the indices for lipid peroxidation. Serum GPx was significantly reduced in patients receiving polypharmacy but RBC GPx was not different in patients receiving monotherapy or polytherapy. Lipid peroxidation was not significantly different in controlled or intractable epilepsy patients.
CONCLUSIONS: Our study failed to show a significant correlation between lipid peroxidation or antioxidants and seizure control or seizure duration. Polypharmacy was associated with a reduction in serum GPx but not RBC GPx. These results suggest that there are minimal systemic alterations in reactive oxgen species (ROS) or antioxidants, therefore systemic ROS are unlikely to contribute significantly to brain changes in epilepsy.
[Supported by: Cultural and Educational Bureau, Egypt]