Cosmetic Effects of Anti-Epileptic Drugs Among Adult Sudanese Epileptic Patients

In a study of 420 Sudanese epilepsy patients (54.15% male, 45.85% female, mean age 34.1 ± 10.4 years) attending Daoud charity from June to September 2014, it was found that hair loss was the most commonly reported cosmetic side effect, particularly among female patients (75%) taking sodium valproate. Additionally, 26.2% of patients experienced weight gain, but none considered it an adverse effect. The study assessed the correlation between cosmetic effects of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and medication adherence as well as quality of life, but found no significant correlation (P > 0.05). However, a positive correlation was observed between the duration since the last seizure attack and quality of life (P = 0.03). Gum overgrowth was found to be correlated with hirsutism and acne (P > 0.05). The study concluded that Sudanese patients prioritize medication intake despite cosmetic side effects, which may be due to a different perception of these effects and the influence of Sudanese culture.