J Korean Child Neurol Soc.  2003 May;11(1):73-81.

Weight Change associated with Oxcarbazepine Monotherapy of Childhood Epilepsy

• Kim YM
• Nam SO

Abstract

PURPOSE: To evaluate the changes of bodyweight associated with oxcarbazepine monotherapy in children with epilepsy.
METHODS
We conducted a retrospective review of 71 childhood epileptic patients(40 boys, and 31 girls) attending Pusan National University Hospital on oxcarbazepine monotherapy for at least 3 months. We evaluated the changes of standard deviation scores (SDS) between the baseline bodyweight and the post-treatment bodyweight.
RESULTS
The mean age of the patients at diagnosis was 7.3 years old and the mean bodyweight SDS at diagnosis was 0.389+/-1.560. After the administration of oxcarbazepine, the mean bodyweight SDS increased substantially to 0.577+/-1.795(P<0.05). Significant increase of the bodyweight SDS were observed especially in boys, children under 7 years old, patients with partial seizures, patients with idiopathic epilepspes, and patients with negative bodyweight SDS at diagnosis.
CONCLUSION
Oxcarbazepine monotherapy was associated with significant weight gain in children with epilepsy. It is necessary to warn patients starting oxcarbazepine medication of the possible bodyweight gain and to advise to start diet and an routine exercise.

Keyword

Oxcarbazepine; Bodyweight standard deviation score

MeSH Terms

Busan
Child
Diagnosis
Diet
Epilepsy*
Humans
Retrospective Studies
Seizures
Weight Gain