| A comparison of provoked seizures and febrile seizures
associated with minor infections |
|
Eun-Ju Lee, Won Seop Kim |
|
Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine and Medical Research Institute,
Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea |
| 경미한 감염과 관련된 유발성 경련과 열성 경련의 비교 |
|
이은주, 김원섭 |
|
충북대학교 의과대학 소아과학교실 |
Correspondence:
Won Seop Kim, Email: wskim@chungbuk.ac.kr
|
|
|
|
|
| Abstract |
Purpose
: Febrile seizures occur in childhood associated with a febrile illness not caused by infections of the central nervous system. Provoked seizures are identified with seizures in association with infections that do not usually affect the brain such as gastroenteritis, except criteria for other febrile seizures in this study. We studied seizures provoked by minor extracranial infections, to contrast them with febrile and provoked seizures.
Methods
: We retrospectively studied one hundred and twenty children with provoked and febrile seizures who visited Chungbuk National University hospital from January, 2000 to December, 2004. Among these children, 36 patients were determined as provoked seizures and 84 patients as febrile seizures. We compared the distribution of minor infections between the patients with provoked seizures and those with febrile seizures, and studied risk factors of subsequent unprovoked seizures after febrile and provoked seizures associated with minor infections.
Results
: We analyzed the records of 120 children aged from 1 month to 15 years. The common etiologies of minor infections were gastroenteritis and respiratory infections. In the group of febrile seizures, there was a significantly greater proportion of patients with respiratory infections (58.3%) and a lesser proportion of those with gastroenteritis (25.0%). But there was a higher incidence of gastroenteritis (50.0%) in the provoked group. Comparing the distribution of etiologies between the patients with provoked seizures and those with febrile seizures seemed a significant difference. But, there were no difference between the provoked seizures and febrile seizures in the risk for subsequent unprovoked seizures.
Conclusion
: In conclusion, the leading cause except brain involvement is gastroenteritis in patients with provoked seizures, and respiratory infection in those with febrile seizures. Thus we need prompt recognition of, and medical attention given to, seizures associated with minor infections. |
| Key Words:
Infection , Seizures , Febrile |
|
PDF Links
Download Citation
