Adult-onset epilepsy and history of childhood febrile seizures: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Children with febrile seizures (FS) are at higher risk of developing epilepsy. There is robust literature on epilepsy with onset in childhood following FS but very little on the same issue in adults. AIMS: We intended to assess the association between adult-onset epilepsy and history of childhood FS. SETTINGS: The neurology clinic of a university hospital. DESIGN: A retrospective study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Records of 101 consecutive adults (>14 years old) who were referred to our hospital with adult-onset seizures were reviewed and the patients and their families were interviewed to assess the medical history. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Chi-square test and Mantel-Haenszel method. RESULTS: Of the 101 patients, 9 were excluded for reasons of bacterial meningitis, recent head trauma, brain tumor, tricyclic antidepressants' overdose and missing reliable data of the childhood FS event. Thirty-one (33.7%) of the remaining 92 patients had history of FS in the childhood (71% men). Localization-related epilepsies were significantly associated with history of FS [Odds ratio: 3.29; (95% CI, 1.30-8.06)] ( (2)= 5.49, df = 1, P=0.012) when compared to other epilepsies and epilepsy syndromes. An initial unprovoked simple partial seizure was also significantly associated with a positive history of FS [Odds ratio: 8.05; (95% CI 2.88-22.45)] ( (2)= 15.86, df = 1, P< 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Localization-related epilepsies and partial seizures seem to be associated with a history of FS in childhood. This warrants more investigation to understand the mechanism as well as a possible pathology common in both localization-related epilepsies and FS in the affected probands.

CSF Glucose Concentrations in Infants with Febrile Convulsions and the Possible Effect of Acetaminophen.

The present study was done to explore the relationship between the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) glucose concentration, body temperature, seizure duration, and acetaminophen administration. Retrospective record review of 117 consecutive febrile convulsive infants aging 3 to 18 months admitted to Bahrami Children Hospital were studied. There was a positive correlation between CSF glucose level and body temperature in those who had not taken acetaminophen before admission (r = 0.515, n = 83). CSF glucose levels were significantly higher (P = 0.014) in febrile children (75.33 mg/dL, n =70) as compared with afebrile children (66.16 mg/dL, n = 13). In those administered acetaminophen there was a negative correlation between the CSF glucose level and body temperature (r = - 0.389, P = 0.023, n = 34). CSF glucose concentration was not significantly different (P = 0.076) in those who had taken acetaminophen than those who had not taken. Type of febrile seizure, fever, convulsion duration and multiplicity were not significantly correlated with CSF glucose concentration.