Clinical aspects of patients with febrile convulsion: a survey in Mashhad

ABSTRACT

Febrile seizures [FS] happen in 2-5% of children aged 6 months to 5 years. Several studies have confirmed that between 2 to 7% of children with FS, develop epilepsy later in life. This study was performed to evaluate the clinical aspects of patients with febrile seizure in our region. This is a retrospective descriptive cross- sectional study that was performed in the pediatric ward of Ghaem hospital in Mashhad, Iran from Sep. 2004 to March 2005. 68 patients aged 6 months to 5 years were evaluated. Most patients were male and aged between 1 to 3 years. 25% had a past history of febrile seizures. Upper respiratory tract infections and gastroenteritis were among the most common causes of febrile seizures, respectively. Simple febrile seizures were seen in 64.7% of the cases. Most of such patients had body temperature above 38.5[degree]c at the time of seizure occurrence. Febrile seizures were more frequently seen in boys aged 1 to 3 years. It most commonly occurred following an upper respiratory tract infection and due to rise in body temperature above 38.5[degree]c