Anti-epileptic medication induced disturbed calcium-vitamin D metabolism: A behavioral analysis using association rule mining technique

BACKGROUND There is a lack of study on vitamin D and calcium levels in epileptic patients receiving therapy, despite the growing recognition of the importance of bone health in individuals with epilepsy. Associations one statistical method for finding correlations between variables in big datasets is called association rule mining (ARM). This technique finds patterns of common items or events in the data set, including associations. Through the analysis of patient data, including demographics, genetic information, and reactions with previous treatments, ARM can identify harmful drug reactions, possible novel combinations of medicines, and trends which connect particular individual features to treatment outcomes. AIM To investigate the evidence on the effects of anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) on calcium metabolism and supplementing with vitamin D to help lower the likelihood of bone-related issues using ARM technique. METHODS ARM technique was used to analyze patients’ behavior on calcium metabolism, vitamin D and anti-epileptic medicines. Epileptic sufferers of both sexes who attended neurological outpatient and in patient department clinics were recruited for the study. There were three patient groups: Group 1 received one AED, group 2 received two AEDs, and group 3 received more than two AEDs. The researchers analyzed the alkaline phosphatase, ionized calcium, total calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D levels, or parathyroid hormone values. RESULTS A total of 150 patients, aged 12 years to 60 years, were studied, with 50 in each group (1, 2, and 3). 60% were men, this gender imbalance may affect the study’s findings, as women have different bone metabolism dynamics influenced by hormonal variations, including menopause. The results may not fully capture the distinct effects of AEDs on female patients. A greater equal distribution of women should be the goal of future studies in order to offer a complete comprehension of the metabolic alterations brought on by AEDs. 86 patients had generalized epilepsy, 64 partial. 42% of patients had AEDs for > 5 years. Polytherapy reduced calcium and vitamin D levels compared to mono and dual therapy. Polytherapy elevated alkaline phosphatase and phosphorus levels. CONCLUSION ARM revealed the possible effects of variables like age, gender, and polytherapy on parathyroid hormone levels in individuals taking antiepileptic medication.