Bone mineral density and vitamin D status in children with epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and cerebral palsy with epilepsy.

PURPOSE: We aimed to evaluate the relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) disorders and possible risk factors in patients with epilepsy only (EO), cerebral palsy only (CPO), and cerebral palsy-epilepsy (CP + E).

METHODS

A total of 122 patients [EO (n = 54), CPO (n = 30), CP + E (n = 38)] and 30 healthy children were evaluated. BMD was only measured in patient groups, not in control subjects. BMD of lumbar vertebrae was determined by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). An abnormal BMD was defined as low or low normal BMD.

RESULTS

Low BMD rate in EO, CPO, and CP + E group was 3.7, 50, and 39.5 %, respectively. Abnormal BMD values were significantly related to inadequate dietary Ca intake (p = 0.017), severe intellectual disability (p < 0.001), and immobility (p = 0.018). In multivariate regression analysis, the risk of abnormal BMD was higher (3.9-fold) in patients not able to walk independently than the others (p = 0.029). However, serum Ca-Vitamin D levels, insufficient exposure to sunlight, low BMI, and use of AED were not correlated with abnormal BMD.

CONCLUSION

Abnormal BMD is a common problem in patients with CP and CP + E. Abnormal BMD was related to the severity of CP, but not to vitamin D levels or AED treatment.