Recurrence of Febrile Seizures in Yazd Shahid Sadoughi Hospital

Objective

Febrile seizure is the most common problem in pediatric neurology that occurs in 3- 4 % of children. The purpose of this study was to determine febrile seizure recurrence frequency and to evaluate its risk factors.

Materials & Methods

In a descriptive prospective study, 139 children (6 months to 6 years) with first febrile seizure were admitted to Yazd Shaheed Sadoughi Hospital between March 2004 and August 2005 and were followed up for at least 15 months for febrile seizure recurrence.

Results

Seventy six boys and 63 girls with a mean age of 2.03 ± 1.21 years were followed up for 25.1±5.5 months. About 30% of them had complex febrile seizures and 37.4% had febrile seizure recurrence with a mean recurrence time of 6.7 ± 5.9 months. About 65% of the children younger than one year and 30% of those older than one year had febrile seizure recurrence. (P value= 0.0001) Recurrence of seizure was seen in 63% of those who had seizure within an hour from the onset of fever and in 33% of those who had seizure after one hour from the onset of fever. (P value = 0.005) Seizures in children younger than one year old and seizures occurring in association with a fever lasting less than an hour were risk factors of febrile seizure recurrence.

Conclusion

Febrile seizure is more disturbing in children younger than one year old. Antipyretic usage was not effective in preventing seizure recurrence but may reduce discomfort and is reassuring.