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Relationship between iron deficiency anemia and febrile seizures in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Byung Ok Kwak1, Kyungmin Kim2, Soo-Nyung Kim3

  • 1Department of Microbiology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Seizure
|September 29, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is linked to a higher risk of febrile seizures (FS) in children. This meta-analysis confirms a significant association, particularly when IDA is diagnosed using plasma ferritin or mean corpuscular volume (MCV).

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Hematology
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • The relationship between iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and febrile seizures (FS) in children remains unclear due to conflicting research findings.
  • Existing studies present inconsistent results regarding the association between IDA and FS, necessitating a comprehensive review.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review and perform a meta-analysis to determine the association between iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and febrile seizures (FS) in pediatric populations.
  • To synthesize evidence from multiple studies to provide a clearer understanding of the IDA-FS link in children.

Main Methods:

  • A systematic literature search was conducted across PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases for studies published up to August 2015.
  • Keywords included variations of 'iron deficiency,' 'iron status,' 'febrile seizure,' 'febrile convulsion,' and pediatric age groups.
  • Pooled odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using standard meta-analysis techniques, with subgroup analyses performed.

Main Results:

  • The meta-analysis included 17 studies with 2416 children experiencing FS and 2387 controls, revealing a significant association between IDA and FS (OR, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.26-3.13; P=0.003).
  • Subgroup analyses indicated that IDA diagnosed by plasma ferritin (OR, 3.78; 95% CI, 1.80-7.94) or mean corpuscular volume (MCV) (OR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.36-3.17) was associated with FS.
  • However, IDA diagnosed solely based on serum iron levels did not show a significant association with FS (OR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.24-1.37).

Conclusions:

  • This meta-analysis suggests that iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is associated with an increased risk of febrile seizures (FS) in children.
  • The diagnostic method for IDA influences the observed association, with plasma ferritin and MCV showing stronger links to FS.
Abstract

Keywords:
ChildFebrile seizureIron deficiency anemia

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