ABNORMALITIES IN LIVER FUNCTION TESTS DURING LONG-TERM DIPHENYLHYDANTOIN THERAPY IN EPILEPTIC OUT-PATIENTS

. Fifty-one epileptic out-patients on long-term anticonvulsant treatment with diphenylhydantoin (DPH) alone or a combined regimen have been investigated and compared with a group of 250 control patients. The epileptics had significantly raised serum alkaline phosphatases, serum alanine aminotransferase, and plasma prothrombin time. Serum albumin was significantly decreased, as well as serum calcium and serum bilirubin. In male epileptics significantly raised serum phosphate concentrations were found. There was no significant correlation between the clearance rate of DPH and the liver tests. It is suggested that the inducing effect of DPH and other anticonvulsant drugs may explain the abnormalities in liver function tests and calcium metabolism. The possibility remains, however, that prolonged administration of these drugs to humans may eventually result in liver damage.