Evaluation of CSF in 100 Children Admitted With Febrile Seizures

Introduction: Febrile seizure is the most common form of childhood seizures that occurs in 3–4% of them. In the approach for convulsive febrile patients, diagnosis of etiology of fever and exclusion of CNS infection is very important. The purpose of this study was to evaluate CNS infection in 100 CSF samples of children with febrile seizures. Methods: In a descriptive retrospective study, CSF analysis results of 100 children with febrile seizures admitted between March 2002 and August 2004 to Yazd Shaheed Sadoughi Hospital were evaluated. Results: 59 boys and 41 girls with mean age of 1.9±1.67 years were evaluated. Most of the cases (62%) were less than two years old. Febrile seizures were complex in 15% and simple in 85 %. The most common form of seizure was generalized tonic colonic (90%) and URI was the most prevalent etiology of fever. 3 cases had aseptic meningitis while status epilepticus was seen in one of them. No bacterial meningitis was seen. Conclusion: Routine LP in all children with febrile convulsions should be avoided and limited to cases with clinical evidence of CNS infections in history and physical examination. All infants with first simple febrile seizure should be admitted to the hospital for close observation and lumbar puncture must be done if clinical signs of meningitis are present.