The duration of febrile seizures and peripheral leukocytosis,☆☆,

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3476(98)70068-XGet rights and content

Abstract

In 203 consecutive children with febrile seizures, no clear association (odds ratio = 1.0 [95% CI, 0.9-1.1], P = .59) was found between seizure duration and blood leukocytosis (≥15.0·109 cells/L). Increased leukocyte counts may be misinterpreted because of seizure duration. In children with febrile seizures, leukocyte counts should be used to evaluate the underlying cause of fever. (J Pediatr 1998;133:557-8)

Section snippets

Patients

We assessed the data of 203 consecutive patients, aged 3 months to 5 years, who visited the Sophia Children’s Hospital Rotterdam between January 1, 1990, and December 31, 1992, with a seizure associated with fever. In a previous study we developed a predictive model for biochemical blood test results in these children with seizures associated with fever.6 Febrile seizures were defined according to the National Institutes of Health Consensus of 1980.7 Children were excluded if their seizures

Results

The study population comprised 125 (62%) boys and 78 (38%) girls; they were 1.5 years of age (25th and 75th percentiles, 1.2 to 2.2 years). The seizure characteristics are shown in the Table.

Table. Seizure characteristics versus blood leukocyte count (n = 203)

Seizure characteristicsTotalBlood leukocyte countOR (95% CI) univariableP value
<15·109 cells/L (n =129, 64%)≥15·109 cells/L (n = 74, 36%)
Focal type*31 (15%)19121.1 (0.5-2.5).78
Multiple type64 (32%)40241.1 (0.6-2.0).83
Duration (min)9

Discussion

The results of this study demonstrated that the leukocyte count in the peripheral blood is not significantly related to the duration of the seizure or any other seizure characteristics. Besides assessing the underlying cause of the fever, leukocyte counts are rarely useful as a diagnostic tool in children with seizures associated with fever.1, 7, 8, 9 Furthermore, in children with shigellosis, no relation was shown between an increased leukocyte count and the occurrence of a febrile seizure.10

References (10)

  • MJ Aminoff et al.

    Status epilepticus, causes, clinical features and consequences in 98 patients

    Am J Med

    (1980)
  • American Academy of Pediatrics

    Practice parameter: the neurodiagnostic evaluation of the child with a first simple febrile seizure

    Pediatrics

    (1996)
  • FS Dhabar et al.

    Effects of stress on immune cell distribution

    J Immunol

    (1995)
  • CG Wasterlain et al.

    Pathophysiological mechanisms of brain damage from status epilepticus

    Epilepsia

    (1993)
  • HJ Senn et al.

    Neutrophil migration in health and disease

    Semin Hematol

    (1975)
There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (0)

From the Department of Pediatrics, Sophia Children’s Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Public Health, Erasmus University, Rotterdam; Julius Center for Patient Oriented Research, University Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands; and Department of Pediatrics, Juliana Children’s Hospital, Den Haag, The Netherlands.

☆☆

Reprint requests: Margriet van Stuijvenberg, MD, Sophia Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Room Sp 1545, Dr Molewaterplein 60, 3015 GJ Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

0022-3476/98/$5.00 + 0  9/22/93288

View full text