Molecular and Therapeutic Potential and Toxicity of Valproic Acid

Table 2

Side effects and prevalence. List of classified side effects observed during treatment with VPA. NA: Data not available.

Mild side-effects	Prevalence
Decrease of sleep duration after the end of treatment	15 to 45 min/day [126]
Weight gain	14% change of weight class [127, 128]
Drowsiness	NA
Nausea	NA
Unsteadiness	NA
Decrease appetite	NA
Fertility and teratogenic effects	Prevalence
Decrease of fertility	25% [129]
Spina bifida	3-fold increase [130–132]
Anencephaly
Cardiac defect
Dysmorphic features
Valproate syndrome (decrease of intrauterine growth)
Craniofacial, skeletal, or limb defect
Problem of communication development	NA
Autism spectrum	NA [132]
Decrease of IQ	9 points [133, 134]
Disorder or decrease of verbal intelligence	NA
Neurological side-effects	Prevalenc
Ischiemic stroke (if associated with MTHFR mutation: 5–22% of population)	1 case reported [135]
Enchephalopathy	NA [120]
Exacerbation of epilepsy	1 case reported [136]
Parkinsonism	1.37–5.04% [137]
Liver damages	Prevalence
Child hepatotoxicity	0.16% [138, 139]
Hematopoietic damages	Prevalence
Thrombocytopenia	4% [120]
Platelet dysfunction
Factor XIII deficiency
Hypofibrinogenemia
Vitamin K dependent factor deficiency
von Wilbrant disease	67% in children 16% in adults [120]
Aplastic anemia	9-fold increase [140]