The Effects of Demographic Data on Age at First Seizure, Total Number of Seizures, and Seizure Type in Febrile Convulsion.
Abstract
Background
Febrile convulsions (FCs) are common in early childhood, yet factors associated with seizure recurrence remain incompletely understood. This study aimed to evaluate demographic, clinical, and laboratory predictors of seizure recurrence and characteristics in children with FC.
Methods
In this retrospective study, 137 children diagnosed with FC between January 2019 and January 2024 were included. Patients were identified using International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision code R56.0. Demographic characteristics, feeding practices, family history, seizure features, and laboratory parameters including hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), ferritin, and vitamin D levels were analyzed. Associations between these variables and seizure recurrence were evaluated using appropriate statistical methods.
Results
No significant associations were found between sex, mode of delivery, feeding type, parental consanguinity, or family history of epilepsy and seizure characteristics. In univariable analyses, shorter breastfeeding duration, a positive family history of FC, lower MCV levels, lower ferritin levels, and vitamin D deficiency were associated with seizure recurrence. Low ferritin levels were also associated with a younger age at first seizure. However, after adjustment for potential confounding factors in a multivariable logistic regression model, only low MCV remained independently associated with seizure recurrence (odds ratio: 9.944, 95% confidence interval: 1.233-80.166, P = 0.031).
Conclusions
Several demographic, familial, and nutritional factors were associated with seizure recurrence in univariable analyses. However, after adjustment for potential confounding factors, only low MCV remained independently associated with seizure recurrence. These findings suggest that iron status may play an important role in recurrent FCs and warrant further investigation in larger prospective studies.