Assessment of Serum Levels of Selenium and Zinc in Children with Epilepsy

Document Type : Original Article

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Department of Pediatrics, El-Minia Faculty of Medicine

Abstract

Introduction: Epilepsy is a disease of the central nervous system in which electrical signals of the brain 
are interrupted. These disruptions cause temporary communication problems between nerve cells, leading 
to seizures by the neurobiologic , cognitive, psychological, and social consequences of this condition.
Selenium (Se) and Zinc (Zn) are trace elements that are involved in metabolism of oxygen radicals, their 
deficiency play role in epilepsy. Patients and methods: 80 children were included for assessment of 
serum levels of selenium and zinc. 80 children divided into 60 epileptic children (subdivided into 30
children with controlled epilepsy and 30 children with uncontrolled epilepsy) and 20 children as a control 
group. Results: There was significant decrease in serum levels of selenium and zinc in epileptic children in 
comparison with a control group. there was no significant correlation between serum level of selenium with 
different variables including age, EEG finding, number of attacks ,family history and treatment .There were 
significant decrease in serum level of zinc more in males than females epileptic patients with controlled 
epilepsy. Conclusion: Low serum levels of both selenium and zinc were found in epileptic children.
antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) may be risk factors for decreased minerals in these children and need more study.

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