Predicting Serum Vitamin E Concentrations from the Age of Normal and Anticonvulsant Drug-Treated Epileptic Children Using Regression Equations

Serum vitamin E was assayed in 100 patients who were apparently normal, with no medical problems and on no medication, and whose ages ranged from 2 to 12 years. Serum vitamin E was also assayed in 100 patients with grand mal convulsive disorders, on anticonvulsants, but on no other drugs, with no gastrointestinal problems and in a similar age range. In the 100 control children, there was a tendency for serum vitamin E to increase with age. Serum vitamin E concentrations in 100 anticonvulsant drug-treated epileptic children were significantly lower than in the control group and did not increase with age. In the control group, a regression analysis was used to predict serum vitamin E concentrations in different age groups. This information would be useful for population and metabolic studies of serum vitamin E concentrations.