Febrile Convulsions: The Role Played by Paraclinical Evaluation

Objective

This survey evaluates the necessity of biochemical and imaging findings for patients with initial diagnosis of febrile convulsion, and also aims at determining the degree to which results of paraclinical examinations delineate management of patients.

Materials & Methods

Data of 302 patients referred to Mofid Children Hospital during two years (2005-2006) for febrile convulsions (FC), were collected in formatted questionnaires and analyzed.

Results

Abnormal lumbar punctures were reported in 9 patients, 3 of which had bacterial meningitis (1%). Biochemical tests including sodium, potassium, calcium, urea and glucose measurement, were performed for 289 (of 302 patients); of these 289, 9 cases were reported with hyponatremia, one case

with hypokalemia and one case with hypocalcemia. Brain CT was done in 51 cases and the results were abnormal in 4%, included a patient with status epilepticus.

Conclusion

Considering the results obtained from data, we suggest that most of the paraclinical examinations are not needed for Febrile Convulsions (FC), for simple FC, in particular.