Evaluation of Acetylcholinesterase and Acetylcholine Levels in Children with Idiopathic Epilepsy

Abstract

Objective of this work was to assess whether acetylcholinesterase and acetylcholine, levels that can be used as biomarkers for drug-resistant epilepsy in children with idiopathic epilepsy. Acetylcholinesterase and acetylcholine levels were measured in three groups of children, 30 children with drug resistant epilepsy,30 with seizures free and30 age and sex matched healthy children. Significant lower acetylcholinesterase was found in drug resistant epilepsy compared to seizure free epilepsy and healthy controls. Higher acetylcholine levels was found in seizure free epilepsy compared to drug resistant epilepsy and healthy controls. Stepwise linear regression analysis showed that low ACHE, high ACH, high severity score are significant independent factors associated with idiopathic epilepsy. Moreover, Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that severity score at cutoff of Chalfont score>60 had the highest sensitivity 86.7% and specificity 80% followed by serum ACHE at cutoff <3.212(ng/ml) with sensitivity 70% and specificity 100% and then serum ACH at cutoff >18.410(ng/ml)with sensitivity 70% and specificity 83.3% as predictors for idiopathic epilepsy. Increased circulating level of ACHand decreased ACHE may predict idiopathic epilepsy suggesting their role in the childhood idiopathic epilepsy’spathogenesis.