Loading...
Phenytoin is an excellent and cost-effective antiepileptic drug (AED) that is especially useful in developing countries with limited access to newer AEDs. However, phenytoin-induced gingival overgrowth (PIGO), along with related cosmetic problems, is a common adverse effect that often restricts chronic use of phenytoin. Previous, small, uncontrolled studies have suggested that folic acid (FA) has a role in preventing PIGO. To assess whether FA supplementation (0.5 mg/day) could prevent this adverse event, researchers in India conducted a large, randomized, placebo-controlled study in 120 children with new diagnoses of epilepsy who recently started phenytoin monotherapy (age range, 6–15 years).
The primary outcome was the incidence of PIGO at…