Effect of vitamin D on bone mineral mass in normal subjects and in epileptic patients on anticonvulsants: a controlled therapeutic trial.

The bone mineral mass was estimated by photon absorptiometry in 23 epileptic patients on long-term treatment with phenytoin and in 20 normal subjects before and during treatment with vitamin D or placebo.Initially, subnormal values of bone mineral mass were found in the epileptic patients. The group of epileptic patients treated with vitamin D showed a significant increase in bone mineral mass. The group of epileptic patients treated with placebo and the normal subjects treated with vitamin D or placebo showed no change in bone mineral mass.