EEG for children with complex febrile seizures

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Neurology
• Clinical Electrophysiology

Background:

• Febrile seizures are common in young children and can be classified as simple or complex.
• Complex febrile seizures, characterized by prolonged duration, recurrence, or focal neurological signs, sometimes lead to electroencephalography (EEG) recommendations.
• Limited evidence currently supports the use and optimal timing of EEG after complex febrile seizures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility and optimal timing of electroencephalography (EEG) in children under five years of age who have experienced complex febrile seizures.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted.
• Searches included the Cochrane Epilepsy Group Specialized Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and ClinicalTrials.gov up to July 2015.
• Studies were selected based on examining the use or timing of EEG after complex febrile seizures in children.

Main Results:

• Despite searching 37 potentially eligible studies, no randomized controlled trials (RCTs) met the inclusion criteria for this review.
• No new studies were identified since the previous version of this Cochrane review.

Conclusions:

• There is a lack of high-quality evidence from RCTs to either support or refute the use of EEG and its timing in children with complex febrile seizures.
• A well-designed randomized controlled trial with adequate sample size is necessary to establish the role of EEG in managing complex febrile seizures.