Physical growth and psychomotor development of infants exposed to antiepileptic drugs in utero. 2006

T Arulmozhi, and M Dhanaraj, and R Rangaraj, and A Vengatesan
Department of Neurology, Government Stanley Medical College and Hospital, Chennai, India.

OBJECTIVE To evaluates the physical growth and psychomotor development of infants born to women with epilepsy on regular Anti Epileptic Drugs (AEDs). METHODS Govt. Stanley Medical College and Hospital, Tertiary care referral centre, Chennai. METHODS Open prospective cohort study with a control group. METHODS Consecutive women with epilepsy who were on regular anticonvulsants were followed up from their first trimester. Their babies were examined at birth and anthropometric measurements including anterior fontanelle size were noted. They were followed up till one year and periodically evaluated at 1st, 6th and 12th month of age. Development testing using Griffith scale was done at 2nd, 6th and 12th month. An equal number of control babies were also studied using the same scale for one year at the specified intervals. The results in both the groups were compared. RESULTS 30 babies were enrolled in the case and control group. The AEDs received by the mothers with epilepsy were Phenytoin, Carbamazepine, and Sodium valproate. At birth and 1st month the weight, head circumference and length of case and control babies were equal. At 6th and 12th month reduction in the above 3 parameters were noted in the case babies ( P < 0.01). Area of anterior fontanelle (AF) was larger in the study group particularly in those exposed to phenytoin in utero (P < 0.001). In the case babies reduction in the sitting, prone and erect progression of the locomotor scores was observed at 2nd month (P < 0.001). Prone progression alone improved by 12th month and other two remained less than the control (P < 0.001). No difference was observed in reaching behaviour and personal/social scores in both groups. Infants exposed to Phenytoin monotherapy had a negative impact on sitting progression. CONCLUSIONS Among infants exposed to AEDs in utero physical growth was equal to that of control at birth but reduced at 6th and 12th month probably due to extraneous factors. The Locomotor scores showed reduction in all areas in 2nd, 6th and 12th month except prone progression which alone improved by 12th month. Phenytoin exposure in utero resulted in large AF and it had a negative impact on sitting progression in comparison with Carbamazepine and Sodium valproate.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007223 Infant A child between 1 and 23 months of age. Infants
D008423 Maternal Age The age of the mother in PREGNANCY. Age, Maternal,Ages, Maternal,Maternal Ages
D009043 Motor Activity Body movements of a human or an animal as a behavioral phenomenon. Activities, Motor,Activity, Motor,Motor Activities
D010298 Parity The number of offspring a female has borne. It is contrasted with GRAVIDITY, which refers to the number of pregnancies, regardless of outcome. Multiparity,Nulliparity,Primiparity,Parity Progression Ratio,Parity Progression Ratios,Ratio, Parity Progression,Ratios, Parity Progression
D010672 Phenytoin An anticonvulsant that is used to treat a wide variety of seizures. It is also an anti-arrhythmic and a muscle relaxant. The mechanism of therapeutic action is not clear, although several cellular actions have been described including effects on ion channels, active transport, and general membrane stabilization. The mechanism of its muscle relaxant effect appears to involve a reduction in the sensitivity of muscle spindles to stretch. Phenytoin has been proposed for several other therapeutic uses, but its use has been limited by its many adverse effects and interactions with other drugs. Diphenylhydantoin,Fenitoin,Phenhydan,5,5-Diphenylhydantoin,5,5-diphenylimidazolidine-2,4-dione,Antisacer,Difenin,Dihydan,Dilantin,Epamin,Epanutin,Hydantol,Phenytoin Sodium,Sodium Diphenylhydantoinate,Diphenylhydantoinate, Sodium
D011247 Pregnancy The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH. Gestation,Pregnancies
D011248 Pregnancy Complications Conditions or pathological processes associated with pregnancy. They can occur during or after pregnancy, and range from minor discomforts to serious diseases that require medical interventions. They include diseases in pregnant females, and pregnancies in females with diseases. Adverse Birth Outcomes,Complications, Pregnancy,Adverse Birth Outcome,Birth Outcome, Adverse,Complication, Pregnancy,Outcome, Adverse Birth,Pregnancy Complication
D011297 Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects The consequences of exposing the FETUS in utero to certain factors, such as NUTRITION PHYSIOLOGICAL PHENOMENA; PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS; DRUGS; RADIATION; and other physical or chemical factors. These consequences are observed later in the offspring after BIRTH. Delayed Effects, Prenatal Exposure,Late Effects, Prenatal Exposure
D011597 Psychomotor Performance The coordination of a sensory or ideational (cognitive) process and a motor activity. Perceptual Motor Performance,Sensory Motor Performance,Visual Motor Coordination,Coordination, Visual Motor,Coordinations, Visual Motor,Motor Coordination, Visual,Motor Coordinations, Visual,Motor Performance, Perceptual,Motor Performance, Sensory,Motor Performances, Perceptual,Motor Performances, Sensory,Perceptual Motor Performances,Performance, Perceptual Motor,Performance, Psychomotor,Performance, Sensory Motor,Performances, Perceptual Motor,Performances, Psychomotor,Performances, Sensory Motor,Psychomotor Performances,Sensory Motor Performances,Visual Motor Coordinations
D004827 Epilepsy A disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of paroxysmal brain dysfunction due to a sudden, disorderly, and excessive neuronal discharge. Epilepsy classification systems are generally based upon: (1) clinical features of the seizure episodes (e.g., motor seizure), (2) etiology (e.g., post-traumatic), (3) anatomic site of seizure origin (e.g., frontal lobe seizure), (4) tendency to spread to other structures in the brain, and (5) temporal patterns (e.g., nocturnal epilepsy). (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p313) Aura,Awakening Epilepsy,Seizure Disorder,Epilepsy, Cryptogenic,Auras,Cryptogenic Epilepsies,Cryptogenic Epilepsy,Epilepsies,Epilepsies, Cryptogenic,Epilepsy, Awakening,Seizure Disorders

Related Publications

T Arulmozhi, and M Dhanaraj, and R Rangaraj, and A Vengatesan
January 2002, Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992),
T Arulmozhi, and M Dhanaraj, and R Rangaraj, and A Vengatesan
July 2008, Epilepsy & behavior : E&B,
T Arulmozhi, and M Dhanaraj, and R Rangaraj, and A Vengatesan
May 1974, American journal of diseases of children (1960),
T Arulmozhi, and M Dhanaraj, and R Rangaraj, and A Vengatesan
February 2000, Developmental medicine and child neurology,
T Arulmozhi, and M Dhanaraj, and R Rangaraj, and A Vengatesan
January 1975, Pediatrie,
T Arulmozhi, and M Dhanaraj, and R Rangaraj, and A Vengatesan
January 2013, Epilepsia,
T Arulmozhi, and M Dhanaraj, and R Rangaraj, and A Vengatesan
July 2000, Epilepsia,
T Arulmozhi, and M Dhanaraj, and R Rangaraj, and A Vengatesan
September 1994, Journal of the American Dietetic Association,
T Arulmozhi, and M Dhanaraj, and R Rangaraj, and A Vengatesan
April 2009, Current opinion in neurology,
T Arulmozhi, and M Dhanaraj, and R Rangaraj, and A Vengatesan
January 1997, Child welfare,
Copied contents to your clipboard!