A quantitative determination of anticonvulsant-induced bone demineralization by an improved X-ray densitometry technique.

Quantitative studies of the influence of anticonvulsant drugs on bone mineral content of 88 epileptics were performed by a microcomputer-aided densitometer system. The results showed that the mineral content decreases significantly with the duration of the therapy. This decrease was found to be approximately 1.2% per year for a Diphenylhydantoin (DPH) monotherapy and 1.8% per year and 2.0% per year for a DPH plus Phenobarbital and DPH plus Carbamazepin combination therapy.