The assessment of risk factors for febrile seizures in children.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the paper was to assess the risk factors of febrile seizures in children. METHODS: The paper presents an analysis of a group of 176 children aged 6 months to 5 years who were admitted to A&E because of febrile seizures. RESULTS: The analysed group of 176 children comprised 61.96% boys and 38.07% girls, and the average age equalled 23 months. Family history was significant in 9.66% of patients. A statistically significant difference was noticed between insignificant family history and the incidence of febrile seizures. In all the studied groups of children the factor that determined the incidence of febrile seizures was a sudden increase in the body temperature with an infection of the upper respiratory tract of several day's duration as another cause. Febrile seizure incident was most frequently associated with a sudden increase in the body temperature in 53.40% children. A statistically significant difference was observed between persisting fever and an increase thereof during the day. Yet another factor predisposing for febrile seizures incidence was an infection of the upper respiratory system that could be observed in 32.95% patients. The mean body temperature when the seizures occurred was 38.9°C. CONCLUSIONS: A sudden increase in the body temperature within the first day of pyrexia predisposes for the incidence of febrile seizures and it was proved that it depends on how long fever persists during the day. The other factor triggering the seizures was an infection of the upper respiratory tract of several days' duration.

The assessment of laboratory parameters in children with fever and febrile seizures.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the research paper was to assess selected laboratory results in children with fever without seizures and febrile seizure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The paper presents an analysis of a group of 306 children aged 6 months - 5 years who were admitted with diagnosed fever without seizures and febrile seizures in Specialized Health Care Centre for Mother and Child in Poznan between 1st January 2008 and 31st December 2009. Out of the diagnostics procedures performed in children the following ones were taken into consideration: BCC and CRP. RESULTS: Of the analyzed group of 306 children, 59.48% were boys and 40.52% were girls. In the studied group 61.93% were boys and control group 56.15% were boys. Mean age of admitted children was 22 months. In the study group mean body temperature was 39.0°C and in the control group 38.6°C. A statistically significant difference was found between body temperature of study and control group (p = .005). The mean C-reactive protein level in the study group was 15.73 mg/L and in the control group 58.20 mg/L. There was a statistically significant difference (p < .001). There was a statistically significant difference between the number of lymphocytes and neutrophils (p < .001). There was also a statistically significant difference between the number of hemoglobin, hematocrit and platelets. CONCLUSIONS: The study showed that children with FS, had statistically significant higher neutrophils level compared to those with fever without seizures. The number of lymphocytes was lower in children with FS than in children with fever without seizures.