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Seizure prevalence in children aged up to 3 years: a longitudinal population-based cohort study in Japan

Masahiro Nishiyama1, Hiroshi Yamaguchi2, Yusuke Ishida2

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan nishiyan0203@yahoo.co.jp.

BMJ Open
|September 11, 2020
PubMed

Insights

This study found that while very preterm birth may increase seizure risk in children, late preterm birth does not significantly raise the risk. Male sex was identified as an independent risk factor for both seizures and febrile seizures.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Neurology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Seizures and febrile seizures are common neurological events in early childhood.
  • Gestational age at birth is a potential factor influencing seizure risk.
  • Understanding these risks is crucial for pediatric care and developmental monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of seizures and febrile seizures in children up to three years of age.
  • To evaluate the impact of gestational age at birth on the risk of febrile seizures.
  • To identify risk factors for seizures and febrile seizures in young children.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective, population-based cohort study was conducted using data from Kobe City, Japan (2010-2018).
  • Parental reports on seizures were collected for 96,014 children, with seizure occurrence identified in 74,017 children.
  • Multivariate analysis examined the association between gestational age at birth and seizure risk, with stratification by sex and birth weight.

Main Results:

  • Seizure prevalence increased with lower gestational age, ranging from 12.1% at 37-41 weeks to 15.7% at 22-27 weeks.
  • Febrile seizure prevalence also showed a trend of increase with lower gestational age, from 9.0% at 37-41 weeks to 11.2% at 22-27 weeks.
  • Male sex was an independent risk factor for seizures (OR 1.15) and febrile seizures (OR 1.21); late preterm birth showed no increased risk.

Conclusions:

  • Very preterm birth may be associated with an elevated risk of seizures and febrile seizures.
  • The risk of seizures and febrile seizures linked to late preterm birth is minimal and lower than that associated with male sex.
  • These findings highlight the importance of considering gestational age and sex when assessing seizure risks in children.
Abstract

Keywords:
epidemiologyneonatologyneurology

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