Serum prolactin and cortisol in children with epilepsy and febrile convulsions

ABSTRACT

Serum prolactin and cortisol levels were estimated in 67 children having either febrile convulsions [group 1 of 24 cases], epilepsy [group 2 of 20 cases] and non-specific fever with no seizures [group 3 of 23 cases]. Their ages ranged from 1 to 8 years. These studied groups were matched with a control group [4] of 20 healthy children of same ages with no fever and non-epileptic. Blood samples were taken as soon as possible postictial [within 2 hours from the fit]. All serum levels were compared between the different studied groups. Mean serum prolactin levels [32.9 SD13.9 ng/ml] were significantly higher [P>0.001] in epileptic group than in the group with febrile convulsions [14.2 SD 6.4 ng/ml], group of non-specific febrile illness [13.7 SD 6.0 ng/ml]and normal controls [12.8 SD 6.l ng/ml]. It was thus also evident that postictial mean serum prolactin level was slightly higher in febrile convulsions than the non-specific febrile group and the control group,this increase was within the normal ranges for their ages and was thus statistically insignificant [P<0.05]. Mean serum cortisol levels were non-specifically elevated in children with epilepsy [13.1 SD 7.6 ug/dl], febrile convulsions [36.4 SD 8.9 ug/dl] and non-specific febrile illness [30.2SD9.0 ug/dl]. The mean of these three groups was highly statistically significantly increased than the control group [m=11.9 SD 4.7 ug/ml and P> 0.001]. Our observations suggests that elevated serum prolactin levels associated with afebrile true epileptic seizures may help in differentiating epilepsy from febrile seizures. But cortisol levels appear to be non -specifically elevated in all stressful conditions. Thus, we recommend the utility of diagnostic capillary blood collection kits to assist the diagnosis of febrile convulsions even in the out-patient clinic