Relation of Iron Deficiency with Simple Febrile Seizures

Febrile seizure (FS) is the most common seizure disorder in early childhood, affecting approximately 2.0-5.0% of children aged 6-60 months. The peak incidence of FS occurs between 14 and 18 months of age, which coincides with the highest prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) in children aged 1-2 years. This study aimed to evaluate the association between iron deficiency and simple febrile seizures. A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted in the Department of Paediatrics, Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, from September 2018 to February 2020. The study included 150 children aged 6-60 months: 75 children with simple febrile seizures (case group) and 75 febrile children without seizures (control group). Detailed clinical history, risk factors and physical examinations were recorded. Haematological investigations- including haemoglobin level, serum iron, serum ferritin, total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) and red cell distribution width (RDW)- were performed to assess iron status. Data were analyzed using appropriate statistical methods, with p-values <0.05 considered statistically significant. The mean age of cases and controls was 15.59±6.63 months and 18.28±12.16 months, respectively. Male predominance was observed in both groups. Mean haemoglobin, serum iron and serum ferritin levels were significantly lower in the case group compared with controls, while TIBC was significantly higher among cases (p=0.001). RDW showed no significant difference between groups. Iron deficiency (48.0% vs. 21.3%) and iron deficiency anaemia (41.3% vs. 13.3%) were significantly more common in children with simple febrile seizures (p=0.001). The study demonstrates a significant association between iron deficiency and simple febrile seizures, suggesting that iron deficiency and IDA may be important risk factors for febrile seizures in young children.