Effects of topiramate on weight and metabolism in children with epilepsy

Abstract

AIM: To explore the mechanism of topiramate-induced weight loss in epilepsy children by monitoring metabolism indices. METHODS: Children with epilepsy were treated with topiramate at their first clinical visit. Metabolism indices including body mass index (BMI) and its SD scores, leptin, adiponectin, leptin/adiponectin (L/A), lipid profile-insulin and Homeostasis Model Assessments (HOMA) index were collected before and after treatment. RESULTS: Topiramate treatment significantly reduced L/A (t = 2.156, p = 0.031), and markedly increased the serum level of adiponectin (t = 3.124, p = 0.002). Moreover, there were no relationships between the metabolism indices and dosages of topiramate (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our studies find that topiramate treatment in epilepsy children increases energy metabolism, resulting in weight loss. It has been demonstrated that adiponectin play a significant role in metabolic regulations.