ASSESSMENT OF OSTEOPOROSIS AND ANAEMIA RISK IN PATIENTS ON ANTICONVULSANT THERAPY

Objective: To assess the incidence of osteoporosis and anaemia in patients on anticonvulsant therapy and to educate those under risk.Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted on 50 study participants. The Bone mineral density (BMD), vitamin D, hematological parameters and peripheral smear were noted. Data analyzed using different statistical methods. Patient information brochures for osteoporosis and anaemia were distributed to those on chronic anti-epileptic drug (AED) therapy.Results: The prevalence of osteoporosis was 16% and osteopenia 22%. The BMD of subjects showed an Insignificant reduction in BMD when compared with a standard reference value for south asian population (*P>0.05). The mean BMD in single therapy group was higher compared with multiple therapy groups. BMD of the enzyme-inducing class was less compared with non-enzyme inducing class but was not significant (P>0.05). Duration of therapy was compared with BMD of patients showed a negative correlation. The relationship between duration of therapy and hematological parameters showed a negative correlation (r =-0.128). The mean haematological parameters in single AED therapy were higher when compared with multiple AED therapy. The study demonstrated 40% microcytic hypochromic and 4% macrocytic hypochromic morphology.Conclusion: Chronic therapy with AEDs possesses a significant risk of developing osteoporosis and anaemia. The incidence rate varies according to the type, duration, and mode of therapy. Early detection and management through diet exercise or pharmacotherapy will decrease the incidence of unwanted effects due to AEDs and improve the quality of life.Keywords: Bone mineral density, Antiepileptic drug, Osteoporosi

Preparation and Properties of Asymmetric Vesicles That Mimic Cell Membranes: EFFECT UPON LIPID RAFT FORMATION AND TRANSMEMBRANE HELIX ORIENTATION*S⃞

A methyl-β-cyclodextrin-induced lipid exchange technique was devised to prepare small unilamellar vesicles with stable asymmetric lipid compositions. Asymmetric vesicles that mimic biological membranes were prepared with sphingomyelin (SM) or SM mixed with 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-phosphatidylcholine (POPC) as the predominant lipids in the outer leaflet and dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC), POPC, 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-phosphatidyl-l-serine (POPS), or POPS mixed with 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine (POPE) in the inner leaflet. Fluorescence-based assays were developed to confirm lipid asymmetry. Cholesterol was introduced into these vesicles using a second methyl-β-cyclodextrin exchange step. In asymmetric vesicles composed of SM outside, DOPC inside (SMo/DOPCi) or SM outside, 2:1 mol:mol POPE:POPS inside (SMo/2:1 POPE:POPSi) the outer leaflet SM formed an ordered state with a thermal stability similar to that in pure SM vesicles and significantly greater than that in symmetric vesicles with the same overall lipid composition. Analogous behavior was observed in vesicles containing cholesterol. This shows that an asymmetric lipid distribution like that in eukaryotic plasma membranes can be conducive to ordered domain (raft) formation. Furthermore asymmetric vesicles containing ∼25 mol % cholesterol formed ordered domains more thermally stable than those in asymmetric vesicles lacking cholesterol, showing that the crucial ability of cholesterol to stabilize ordered domain formation is likely to contribute to ordered domain formation in cell membranes. Additional studies demonstrated that hydrophobic helix orientation is affected by lipid asymmetry with asymmetry favoring formation of the transmembrane configuration. The ability to form asymmetric vesicles represents an important improvement in model membrane studies and should find many applications in the future