EVALUATION OF SERUM SODIUM LEVEL IN SINGLE AND RECURRENT FEBRILE SEIZURES

Abstract

Background 
 Febrile seizures are the most common form of childhood seizures. Its either simple (when it is single attack within next 24 hours, plus other characters) or complex (when is recurrent within same period plus other characteristics).
 Objectives
 
 This study was conducted to determine the role of low serum sodium levels in predicting single or recurrent febrile seizures among children.
 Patients and Methods
 In this study, 100 patients aged 6-60 months old were enrolled. The patients were divided into two groups: those with single, and those with recurrent febrile seizures. Then 100 children with febrile illness, but no febrile convulsion, taken as a control. For those 3 groups serum sodium levels were studied.
 Results
 Among the patients, male gender was predominant. Among those with 12-24 months old, positive family history of febrile seizures was significant. The mean serum sodium of patients with single febrile seizure was (137.91), while the mean serum sodium level of patients with recurrent febrile seizures was (139), and the mean serum sodium of control group was (141.42). The P-value of comparison between control and those with single febrile seizure was significant (0.002), but the P-value of comparison between control and those with recurrent febrile seizures was not significant (0.813). There was no significant role of the serum sodium found during admission of the patients. 
 Conclusion
 We found in present study: there was no significant role for the serum sodium during single or recurrent F.S.s. These findings reaffirm the recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics not to routinely obtain serum electrolytes in febrile seizures unless clinically indicated.