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Is temperature regulation different in children susceptible to febrile seizures?

Kevin E Gordon1, Joseph M Dooley, Ellen P Wood

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

The Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences. Le Journal Canadien Des Sciences Neurologiques
|April 22, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Children with a family history of febrile seizures are more likely to have fever and higher temperatures. This suggests altered temperature regulation in susceptible children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Neurology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Febrile seizures are common in childhood.
  • Family history is a significant risk factor for febrile seizures.
  • The role of fever magnitude in seizure susceptibility requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between fever characteristics and febrile seizure susceptibility.
  • To determine if family history influences fever presentation and magnitude.

Main Methods:

  • Reanalysis of a case-control study dataset.
  • Comparison of fever temperature between children with and without febrile seizures.
  • Examination of fever presence and magnitude in relation to family history of febrile seizures.

Main Results:

  • Children with febrile seizures had higher emergency department temperatures than febrile controls (39.3°C vs 39.0°C).
  • Febrile controls with a family history of febrile seizures had higher temperatures than those without (39.5°C vs 38.9°C).
  • Family history, not seizure status, was the primary factor associated with fever magnitude; family history was also linked to fever presence (OR 3.4).

Conclusions:

  • Children with a genetic predisposition to febrile seizures are more prone to presenting with fever.
  • These susceptible children tend to have higher fever temperatures.
  • Findings support the hypothesis of differing temperature regulation in children prone to febrile seizures.
Abstract

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