Research of the serum level of neuron⁃specific enolase in children with various types of seizure

Abstract

Objective To explore the relevance between the level changes of serum neuron⁃specific enolase (NSE) and neuronal damage in various seizure types of children with epilepsy. Methods According to the classification criteria of seizure types formulated by International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) in 1981, 190 children with epilepsy were enrolled including tonic⁃clonic seizure group (41 cases), tonic seizure group (34 cases), clonic seizure group (22 cases), myoclonic seizure group (12 cases), atonic seizure group (17 cases), absence seizure group (22 cases), simple partial seizure group (21 cases) and complex partial seizure group (21 cases), and 64 healthy children were enrolled as control group. The long⁃ range vedio⁃electroencephalogram (VEEG) was operated and the blood samples were collected from these cases within 72 h after their seizures. Results The serum NSE levels of epileptic children were significantly higher than control group (P = 0.000). Among these seizure groups, serum NSE in myoclonic seizure group [(32.42 ± 6.62) ng/ml] was significantly higher than the other types, except for tonic⁃clonic seizure group (P = 0.062). There was no significant difference among the other types (P > 0.05, for all). According to rank correlation analysis, there was positive corrlation between serum NSE levels and VEEG abnormal intensity (rs = 0.613, P = 0.000). Conclusion The serum NSE were markedly increased in children with epilepsy after seizures, suggesting that a certain degree of neuronal damage may result from seizures; the higher NSE levels were, the more serious neuronal damage caused by epileptiform discharges was. The serum NSE levels in myoclonic seizure group and tonic⁃clonic seizure group were significantly higher than other seizure types, indicating the two kinds of seizures may result in greater neuronal damage. DOI：10.3969/j.issn.1672⁃6731.2012.05.013