Assessment of Hypokalemia and Certain Risk Factors for Febrile Seizure among Children Aged 6 Months to 6 Years in Mashhad, Iran

Document Type : Original Article (s)

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Islamic Azad University, Tehran Medical Sciences Branch, Tehran, Iran

2 General Practitioner, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad Branch, Mashhad, Iran

Abstract

Background: Febrile seizures (FS) are the most common seizure disorders which occur in 2% - 4% of children aged 6 months to 6 years old. We aimed to determine risk factors for the FC including hypokalemia in Iranian children.Methods: This case-control study was performed on 212 children from 6 months to 6 years old in Mashhad, who were admitted to the hospital from 2010 to 2011. 110 patients with FC were considered as case group and 102 children with fever without seizure were as control group. Variables including age, gender, degree of fever, duration and cause of fever, breastfeeding and its duration, birth weight, body mass index, gestational age, child's head circumference, serum potassium levels, and anemia were compared in two groups.Findings: There were significant differences between two groups regarding different variables. In case group, febrile seizure was significantly more common in mail children, more featured in respiratory tract infection and otitis media and occurred in the early period of fever .History of FC, mean birth weight, and mean head circumference were significantly higher and serum level of potassium was significantly lower than those of control group.Conclusion: This study showed that in addition to the known risk factors, hypokalemia plays an important role in occurrence of febrile seizure as a new risk factor. Further studies are recommended to investigate this issue and other unknown risk factors to prevent febrile seizure.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Isfahan Medical School
Volume 32, Issue 290 - Serial Number 290
May and June 2014
Pages 957-968

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History

  • Receive Date: 29 October 2013
  • Revise Date: 01 November 2024
  • Accept Date: 06 April 2022

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