Evaluation of serum levels of asprosin and other metabolic profiles in patients with idiopathic tonic-clonic generalized epilepsy on treatment with valproic acid.

Background: This cross-sectional research was undertaken to determine the serum levels of asprosin, a novel white adipose tissue-derived glucogenic adipokine, in epileptic patients on valproic acid treatment.

Methods: Sixty-six patients diagnosed with idiopathic tonic-clonic generalized epilepsy were divided into three groups: those treated with valproic acid (n = 22), those treated with lamotrigine (n = 22), and twenty-two newly diagnosed or untreated patients. A control group was twenty-two, healthy volunteers with a similar distribution of gender and age. Body mass index (BMI) and fasting serum levels of asprosin, glucose, glycohemoglobin (HbA1c), insulin, and lipid profile were measured for both patients and control groups. Additionally, homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was also calculated for the investigated groups.

Results: The mean BMI values and fasting serum levels of glucose, HbA1c, insulin, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglyceride were much higher in subjects treated with valproic acid than those in the other study groups. Furthermore, a higher number of participants in the valproic acid group fulfilled the insulin resistance criterion (defined as HOMA-IR > 2.5) compared with those in other study groups. The mean fasting serum asprosin concentration was also significantly higher in the valproic acid group than in other study groups. This was while the values of the study parameters were comparable in the healthy, un-treated, and lamotrigine groups.

Conclusions: Our finding suggested that elevated asprosin level might be one of the pathological mechanisms involved in the development of obesity, insulin resistance, and metabolic disturbances related to valproic acid treatment.