Factors associated with febrile seizures among children

Fariba Tarhani1, Alireza Nezami1, Ghobad Heidari1

  • 1Department of Pediatric, Faculty of Medicine, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran.

Insights

Febrile seizures in children are often benign. Recurrence and family history, not lab tests, influence treatment decisions for febrile seizures.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Neurology

Background:

  • Febrile seizures are common in childhood, typically benign.
  • Complex febrile seizures may recur and require careful management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze demographic, clinical, and laboratory factors in children with febrile seizures.
  • To investigate correlations between these factors and seizure characteristics.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 77 children with febrile seizures in 2019.
  • Data collected on history, physical examination, lab tests, and discharge recommendations.
  • Statistical analysis using SPSSv25.

Main Results:

  • Mean age was 29.4 months; mean seizure duration 5.09 min; mean temperature 38.41°C.
  • No fever cause found in 57.14% of patients; 12.99% had multiple seizures.
  • Gender correlated with white blood cells (p=0.014); discharge correlated with recurrence (p<0.001).

Conclusions:

  • Biochemical findings are not consistently indicative of febrile seizures.
  • Seizure recurrence and family history are linked to treatment choices, including medication and imaging.
Abstract

Related Concept Videos

Seizures: Classification01:13

Seizures: Classification

Epilepsy is primarily characterized by unpredictable seizures, either provoked by an identifiable factor, such as injury or illness, or unprovoked, occurring spontaneously without apparent cause.
Seizures are typically classified into two main categories: focal and generalized seizures.
Focal Seizures
Focal seizures originate from specific regions of the brain. These seizures are further sub-classified into two types:
641
Increased Body Temperature01:25

Increased Body Temperature

A body temperature above  38°C  (100.4 °F) is known as fever or pyrexia, and a person with fever is termed 'febrile.' Typically, the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that acts as the body's thermostat, regulates body temperature through a thermoregulatory setpoint. It receives signals from cold and warm thermal receptors throughout the body and adjusts the body's temperature accordingly. Fever occurs when this hypothalamic setpoint is altered, usually in...
3.7K
Types of Fever01:25

Types of Fever

Fever can be triggered by several factors, including infections, nervous system disorders, certain cancers, blood diseases like leukemia, embolism, thrombosis, heatstroke, dehydration, surgical trauma, crushing injuries, and allergic reactions.
Here are the different types of fever:
625
Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview01:24

Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease marked by recurrent, unpredictable seizures. These seizures are caused by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain, leading to behavior, sensation, or consciousness alterations. They can also cause transient impairment of awareness, interfering with daily activities.
Various factors can trigger epilepsy, including genetic factors, brain damage, metabolic causes, and unknown etiology. Diagnosis of epilepsy involves electroencephalography (EEG), which...
326
Methods of reducing fever01:22

Methods of reducing fever

The signs and symptoms of fever include hot and dry skin, flushed face, thirst, muscle aches, anorexia, headache, tachycardia, tachypnea, and fatigue. Elevated body temperature is reduced using two methods: pharmacological and nonpharmacological. Proper identification and treatment of the root cause of a fever is of utmost importance.
Pharmacological Methods of Reducing Fever:
809
Antiepileptic Drugs: Modulators of Neurotransmitter Release Mediated by SV2A Protein01:20

Antiepileptic Drugs: Modulators of Neurotransmitter Release Mediated by SV2A Protein

Antiepileptic drugs, such as levetiracetam (Keppra) and brivaracetam (Briviact), have emerged as crucial tools in managing epilepsy. These medications exert their therapeutic effects by targeting the synaptic vesicle protein SV2A, a transmembrane glycoprotein primarily found in the brain.
SV2A is a transmembrane glycoprotein located predominantly in the brain, modulating the release of neurotransmitters for neuronal communication. Both levetiracetam and brivaracetam exhibit a high affinity for...
491