Folic acid supplementation prevents phenytoin-induced gingival overgrowth in children

Study answer

What this study found

Folic acid substantially reduced phenytoin-induced gingival overgrowth in children on phenytoin monotherapy. At 6 months, any gingival overgrowth occurred in 13/62 (21.0%) with folic acid versus 51/58 (87.9%) with control; absolute risk reduction was 67% (95% CI 53.8%-80.1%), relative risk reduction was 0.76, and p < 0.001. Severe gingival overgrowth (grade ≥2) was also lower with folic acid: 2/62 (3.23%) versus 8/58 (13.79%) (p = 0.036).

Study & population

Randomized trial in children with epilepsy aged 6-15 years receiving phenytoin monotherapy at a tertiary care teaching hospital.

Intervention

Folic acid 0.5 mg orally once daily for 6 months.

Key limitation

Single-center study in a tertiary hospital with a narrow pediatric epilepsy population on phenytoin monotherapy, which limits generalizability.

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Original abstract