Investigating the Prevalence and Determinants of Vitamin D Deficiency in Children with Epilepsy Treated with Anticonvulsant Drugs: An Analytical Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: The potential risk factors for vitamin D deficiency in children with epilepsy, particularly those receiving antiseizure medications (ASMs), remain unclear. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the determinants of 25-hydroxyvitamin D insufficiency in pediatric epileptic patients treated with ASMs. Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study assessed the prevalence and predictive factors of vitamin D deficiency in 45 children aged 1 to 14 years with epilepsy who were treated with ASMs between 2020 and 2021. Serum vitamin D levels were measured using the chemiluminescence method. Levels below 30 ng/mL were defined as insufficient. Results: Forty-five epileptic children with a mean age of 6.31 ± 3.97 years were included in the study. The mean serum vitamin D level was 24.18 ng/mL, and 26 (57.7%) were identified as having vitamin D insufficiency. Children with insufficient levels were significantly older (P = 0.002) and had received ASMs for a longer duration (P = 0.034). Age was the only significant determinant of vitamin D insufficiency. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that age effectively predicted vitamin D deficiency with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.754. Conclusions: This study highlights a high prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency among epileptic children treated with ASMs, particularly in older age groups. Regular monitoring of serum vitamin D levels, early diagnosis, timely treatment, and prophylactic supplementation are recommended to prevent complications.