[Urinary excretion of 17-hydroxycorticosteroids and 17-ketosteroids in women with epileptic seizures during the premenstrual period].

The authors determined the amounts of free and total 17-hydroxycorticosteroids (17-OHCS) and 17-ketosteroids (17-KS) in the urine of 11 women in whom epileptic seizures occurred most frequently on the 2nd and 1st day before menstruation and in 7 women with seizures showing no such correlation with the menstrual cycle. A statistically significant decrease of 17-KS was demonstrated in women with premenstrual seizures. In both groups of women the amounts of free 17-OHCS were near the lower normal range, while the amounts of total 17-OHCS were reduced and the obtained results compared with the accepted normal values showed statistically significant differences (p less than 0.01). The obtained results are, however, insufficient for assuming that these hormones play an important role in the mechanism of seizure release in premenstrual period. The authors think, on the other hand, that the statistically significant fall in 17-KS in women with premenstrual seizures may play some role among other factors in the mechanism of seizure release.