Serum hypomagnesemia is associated with febrile seizures in young children
Zakaria Ahmed Mohamed1, Chunjiao Tang1, Erick Thokerunga2
1Department of Pediatrics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China.
Insights
Low serum magnesium levels, or hypomagnesemia, are linked to febrile seizures (FS) in young children. This study suggests hypomagnesemia may be a risk factor for FS, warranting further research for management guidelines.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Clinical Biochemistry
Background:
- Febrile seizures (FS) are common in children under five.
- Etiology is multifactorial, including genetics and electrolyte imbalances.
- This study investigates the role of serum magnesium in FS.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare serum magnesium levels in children with and without febrile seizures.
- To determine if hypomagnesemia is associated with febrile seizures.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective case-control study (February 2019 - January 2021).
- 230 participants (115 cases, 115 controls), age and gender-matched.
- Statistical analysis included t-tests, Chi-square, and Pearson's correlation.
Main Results:
- Mean serum magnesium was lower in children with FS (0.93 ± 0.129) vs. controls (0.97 ± 0.0961; p < 0.001).
- Hypomagnesemia (<0.85 mmol/L) was more prevalent in FS cases (26.1%) than controls (8.7%; p < 0.001).
- A significant negative correlation was observed between serum magnesium levels and FS occurrence (r = -0.169, p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
- Serum magnesium levels are significantly lower in children experiencing febrile seizures.
- Hypomagnesemia is associated with an increased risk of febrile seizures.
- Hypomagnesemia may be a potential risk factor for FS, requiring validation in larger studies.
Background:
Febrile seizures (FS) frequently manifest in children below 5 years of age. Although the exact etiology is still unknown, genetic predisposition, changes in neurotransmitter levels, and serum electrolyte imbalance are some of the known risk factors. This study examined the possible association between serum magnesium levels in children with FS compared to febrile children without seizures.
Methods:
A retrospective case-control study was conducted from February 2019 to January 2021, recruiting 230 age and gender-matched cases and controls (115 each). Extracted data were analyzed using SPSS using an independent student's t-test, Chi-square test, and Pearson's correlation analysis.
Results:
The mean serum magnesium levels were 0.93 ± 0.129 vs 0.97 ± 0.0961; p < 0.001, between cases and controls respectively. Similarly, hypomagnesemia (<0.85 mmol/L) was detected in 26.1% and 8.7% of the cases and controls, respectively; p < 0.001. A significant negative correlation was found between serum magnesium levels and the occurrence of febrile seizures; r = [-0.169], p < 0.05.
Conclusion:
Serum magnesium was significantly low in febrile children with seizures compared to those without, and hypomagnesemia was associated with the occurrence of febrile seizures. These results portray hypomagnesemia as a possible risk factor for febrile seizure, and so should be validated in future large cohort studies so that guidelines are set for proper management of these children.
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