ABSTRACT
The present study was carried out to study serum zinc levels for it’s prognostic significance as well as for it’s role in pathophysiology of febrile seizures, idiopathic epilepsy and acute CNS infections. In the present study, 100 cases who were admitted in our hospital during March 2009 to August 2010, aged between 1 month to 18 yrs were selected on the basis of clinical history, physical and CSF examination. They were grouped as groupA (pyogenic meningitis), group B (febrile seizures), group C (idiopathic epilepsy), group D (other acute CNS infections), group E (cerebral malaria) and group F (control). Cases of cerebral palsy, neuroanatomical malformations, neurobehavioural disorders, neurodegenerative disorders and drug induced neurological manifestations were not included in the present study. Mean serum zinc level was significantly lower in groups A, B & E, while no significant difference was observed in group C & D as compared to the control. No significant difference in serum zinc level was detected in relation to outcome and degree of consciousness in any of the study groups.