Correlation between hyperhomocysteinemia and common carotid artery intima media thickness in carbamazepine treated epileptic patients using ultrasonography

Objective: the objective was to assess the role of homocysteine in the development of atherosclerosis in common carotid artery in the carbamazepine treated epileptic patients. methods: this study was conducted in the department of biochemistry,basic medical sciences institute (bmsi),jinnah postgraduate medical center (jpmc),karachi. three hundred individuals,aged 34 ± 9.5 years were selected and divided into three groups. each group comprised of 100 subjects labeled as group-a (control group had healthy individuals),group-b (newly diagnosed epileptic patients without antiepileptic therapy),group-c (epileptic patients on carbamazepine therapy,which was further subdivided into c-i having epileptic patients on carbamazepine therapy less than 1 year n=33,c-ii had epileptic patients on carbamazepine therapy 1-2 years n = 33 and c-iii comprised of epileptic patients on carbamazepine therapy more than 2 years n = 34). blood concentration of homocysteine was measured and ultrasound of common carotid artery for intima-media thickness was performed. results: significantly elevated level of homocysteine was observed in epileptic patients on cbz therapy. common carotid artery intima-media thickness (cca imt) was observed significantly high throughout group c but it was more profound in group-c-iii. homocysteine was found positively correlated with right cca imt,left cca imt and mean cca imt. conclusion: hyperhomocysteinemia was linked with increased risk of atherosclerosis in cbz treated epileptic patients. © 2017,professional medical publications. all rights reserved.