Cytomegalovirus antibodies in epileptics receiving diphenylhydantoin

• Published in: Acta neurologica Scandinavica Vol. 66; no. 5; p. 561
• Main Authors: Andersen, P, Alacam, R, Andersen, I, Andersen, H K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Denmark 01-11-1982
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Antibodies, Viral - analysis; Antibody Formation - drug effects; Cytomegalovirus - immunology; Cytomegalovirus Infections - immunology; Drug Therapy, Combination; Epilepsy - drug therapy; Epilepsy - immunology; Female; Humans; Immunoglobulin G - analysis; Immunoglobulin M - analysis; Male; Metabolic Clearance Rate; Middle Aged; Phenytoin - adverse effects; Phenytoin - blood; Phenytoin - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 0001-6314
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1982.tb03143.x

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) antibodies were determined by indirect haemagglutination in 53 epileptics receiving long-term diphenylhydantoin (DPH) therapy and in 53 matched controls. Absorption of serum IgG, IgA and IgM performed in 12 sera showed that the antibodies were of the IgG class. A decreased incidence of high CMV antibody titres (greater than or equal to 320) was found in epileptics (11.3%) compared with controls (34.0%) (0.02 greater than P greater than 0.01), whereas antibody titres greater than or equal to 40 were found in 37.7% of epileptics and in 45.3% of controls (n.s.). The CMV antibody incidence and titre range were similar in patients with symptomatic (37.9%) and idiopathic (37.5%) epilepsy, suggesting that the DPH treatment was responsible for the decreased antibody occurrence in patients. No correlation between CMV antibody titres and the serum immunoglobulin levels or the DPH concentration or clearance could be established in the epileptics.