The Correlation of Iron Status and First Febrile Seizure: A Prospective Case-Control Study

Background Febrile seizures (FS) are the most common type of seizures in childrenand iron deficiency anaemia is most common type of anaemia in children. The relationship between iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) and first FS has been examined in several studies with conflicting results. Patients and Methods In this prospective case-control study we assessed 84 children with a diagnosis of first FS, aged between 6 months and 5years who were admitted in department of paediatrics of SPMCHI, SMS Medical College JaipurRajasthan, during August 2006 to Oct. 2007. The control group assessed 85 febrile children without convulsion; cases and controls were matched by gender and age. Patients and controls were reviewed to determine iron status using the haemoglobin concentration Hb, MCV, MCHC, MCH, S. iron, and TIBC, S. ferritin. Results cases and controls were 2.07±1.24 and 2.17±1.30 (P>0.05) years of mean age, respectively. TheHb, MCV,MCH, MCHCand serum iron, and plasma ferritin were significantly lower among the cases with first febrile convulsions than in the controls and differences were statistically significant. The mean value in study group were significantly lower than Control group forHb(9.39±1.75vs11.23±1.49) (P<0.0001), MCV (70.47 ± 7.91 vs 81.41±7.75) (P<0.0001), MCH(22.26±3.70vs26.61±2.65) (P<0.0001),MCHC(31.15±3.23vs32.92±2.0) (P< 0.0001),Ferritin<20ng/dl ( 11.77±2.91vs5.200 ± 0) (P<0.01), S. Iron (33.90 ±18.07vs43.36±12.94 (P< 0.0001) respectively. Conclusion IDA was significantly more frequent among children who had FS than those with febrile illness alone. The results suggest that IDA may be a risk factor for FS and screening and correction for IDA should be considered in children presenting with the first FS.