Assessments of serum neuron specific enolase and s100b protein levels at postictal and interictal period after epileptic seizure in epileptic patients

There is a controversy about whether epileptic seizures lead to neuronal damage in patients with epileptic disorder or not. The aim of the present study is to determine if epileptic seizures cause neuronal damage in 30 patients with epileptic disorders; if yes, which kind of seizures cause such damage and to compare these patients among 30 healthy volunteers by measuring serum levels of NSE and SB100B, neuronal damage markers, at postictal and interictal period.There was generalized tonic clonic seizure (GTCS) in 20 of the patients, whereas there was complex partial seizure (CPS) in seven, simple partial seizure (SPS) in two and myoclonic seizure (MS) in one patients.No significant difference was found in NSE measurements at postictal and interictal period among all the patients when it was compared with the control group (p>0.05). Postictal serum S100B levels of all patients were significantly higher than those in control group and interictal levels (P<0.001). This finding showed development of neuronal damage after epileptic seizures. It is also suggested that postictal serum S100B levels should be useful to distinguish epileptic and non-epileptic seizures. When patients were stratified according to seizure types; in patients with GTCS postictal S100B levels were significantly higher than controls (p<0.001). Postictal S100B levels were also significantly higher than controls in other seizure types (p<0.01). In patients with CPS, postictal S100B values were higher than controls, but the difference between them was not significant (p>0.05). This finding showed that GTCS cause the most neuronal damage when compared with other seizure types.In conclusion, epileptic seizures, particularly GTCS, lead to neuronal damage and postictal S100B measurements can help to determine of neuronal damage as an adjunct marker.Keywords: Epilepsy, NSE, S100B