Long-term administration of antiepileptic drugs and the development of rickets

Vitamin D-dependency Rickets in Institutionalized, Mentally Retarded Children on Long Term Anticonvulsant Therapy. II. The Response to 25-Hydroxycholecalciferol and to Vitamin D2

“…Single doses of 600,000 IU vitamin D 2 induced prompt healing in two of our patients. In one report 50,000 IU of vitamin D 2 given daily also induced rapid recovery [5]. Less than 6,000 IU vitamin D 2 therapy given daily even for prolonged periods may fail to induce healing changes, as seen in three of our patients and as reported by others [5,16].…”

“…4 On day 2 a single dose of vitamin D 2 , 600,000 IU, was given. 5 On day 211 a single dose of vitamin D2, 600,000 IU, was given.…”

Rickets associated with anticonvulsant therapy in children with tuberous sclerosis.

“…Rickets (or osteomalacia) is well known to occur in patients taking long-term anticonvulsant therapy (Kruse, 1968;Dent et al, 1970;De Luca, Masotti, and Partington, 1972;Silver et al, 1974;Hahn et al, 1975;Borgstedt, et al, 1972) but the occurrence of this complication in tuberous sclerosis has been commented on only once (Borgstedt et al, 1972). This paper reports this occurrence in 5 children seen in the general paediatric unit of this hospital in the past 5 years.…”

American Pediatric Society's 2011 John Howland Award Acceptance Lecture: Lessons From Models of Disease

“…Forbes was also interested in the problem of muscle weakness in rachitic children (23). He and his colleagues were among the first to describe the rickets and osteomalacia associated with chronic anticonvulsants (24,25).…”