Tahir Mahmood, Nisar Khan Sajid, Fida Muhammad, Zahid Naeem.
Association Of Febrile Seizures And Iron Defeciency Anemia.
J Uni Med Dent Coll Jan ;8(4):27-31.

BACKGROUND: Febrile seizures (FS) affect 3-4% of children under the age of 5 years. It is benign and has an excellent prognosis. Male children with family history of febrile seizures, low serum calcium, sodium & blood sugar and microcytic hypochromic anemia are more prone to FS. Iron deficiency has been postulated to contribute to FS as it has a key role in brain energy metabolism, myelination, long term behavioral changes and cognitive impairments. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A case-control study was conducted in the Department of Pediatrics Allied Hospital, Faisalabad from December 2014 to November 2015. Forty five children with fever and seizures and 45 children with fever but no seizure, of age 6 months to 60 months, were recruited. Blood samples of the children were obtained. Serum ferritin and Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) levels were assessed. Iron deficiency was labeled at Serum ferritin <7 ?g/L and MCV <65 fL. Data was entered and analyzed using SPSS v. 20.0. RESULTS: 60% (n=27) of children with febrile seizures showed iron deficiency anemia out of which 59% (n=16) were males and 41% (n=11) were females and most of these children 48% (n=13) belonged to the age group of 13 to 30 months. Logistic regression analysis and p value showed iron deficiency to be significantly associated with febrile seizures. Odds ratio showed children with febrile seizures to be 6.93 times more prone to develop iron deficiency. CONCLUSION: Febrile seizures are significantly associated with iron deficiency and the children with iron deficiency has about 6 times more chances of developing febrile seizures as compared to children with normal serum ferritin levels.

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