Serum and CSF adiponectin, leptin, and interleukin 6 levels as adipocytokines in Egyptian children with febrile seizures: a cross-sectional study.

Seham F Azab,Manal S Arafat,Mayy A N Allah,Attia A Soliman,Eman M Elhindawy,Ezzat K Amin,Sawsan H Abdellatif,Dina T Sarhan,Nagwa E Akeel,Anwar A Rass,Nahla A Elsamad,Mohamed A Abdalhady,Ahmed A Elhewala,Mohamed M A Salam,Mustafa I A Hashem,Mohamed A A Almalky

doi:10.1186/s13052-016-0250-y

Seham F Azab, Manal S Arafat + Show 14 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-016-0250-y

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Abstract

BackgroundA febrile seizure (FS) is the most common convulsive disorder in children. Activation of cytokine network is involved in FS pathogenesis. Adiponectin, leptin and IL-6 are the major adipocytokines secreted by fat cells. To date, only a few studies concerned the association of adipocytokines with febrile seizures. In this study, we tried to investigate serum and CSF levels of adiponectin, leptin, and interleukin-6 (IL-6); as adipocytokines, for the first time in Egyptian children with febrile seizures.MethodsThis was a prospective cross-sectional study included one hundred patients with febrile seizure, and matched with age, gender, 100 children with febrile illness without seizures (febrile control, FC) and 100 healthy control group (HC). Serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of adiponectin, leptin, and (IL-6) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method.ResultsSerum adiponectin was significantly higher in children with FS (16.8 ± 3.7 ug/ml) and the FC group (18.3 ± 4.3 ug/ml) compared to the HC group (9.5 ± 2.2 ug/ml); P < 0.05, respectively. Serum leptin was significantly lower in children with FS (0.9 ± 0.3 ng/ml) compared to both the FC group (4.7 ± 1.2 ng/ml) and the HC group (1.8 ± 0.4 ng/ml); P < 0.01, respectively. Children with FS had significantly higher serum IL-6 levels (43.7 ± 11.7 ng/ml) than the FC group (21.9 ± 4.5 ng/ml) and the HC group (6.5 ± 1.8 ng/ml); P < 0.01, respectively. Patients with simple febrile seizures (SFS) had serum and CSF adiponectin levels similar to those with complex febrile seizures (CFS); (P > 0.05). Serum and CSF leptin levels were significantly lower in patients with CFS compared to the SFS group (P < 0.05). Serum and CSF IL-6 levels were significantly higher in patients with CFS compared to the SFS group (P < 0.01). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, the high serum IL-6 levels was the most significant risk factor associated with febrile seizures among studied children (OR: 6.2; 95 % CI: 3.58 –10.57; P = 0.0001).ConclusionOur data brought a novel observation that some adipocytokines like leptin and IL-6 could be, at least in part, an aetiopathogenetic factor in the manifestation of febrile seizures in susceptible Egyptian children. Moreover, we observed a significant association between high CSF IL-6 levels and susceptibility to complex febrile seizures as did the low CSF leptin levels.

Highlights

A febrile seizure (FS) is the most common convulsive disorder in children
Compared to the Febrile control (FC) group, children with FS showed no significant differences in terms of body temperature on admission, type of infection, duration of fever before blood sample (24 h), white blood cell (WBC) count and Creactive protein (CRP); all P > 0.05; (Table 1)
Serum adiponectin was significantly higher in children with FS (16.8 ± 3.7 ug/ml) and the FC group (18.3 ± 4.3 ug/ml) compared to the healthy control group (HC) group (9.5 ± 2.2 ug/ml); P < 0.05, respectively

Summary

Introduction

A febrile seizure (FS) is the most common convulsive disorder in children. Activation of cytokine network is involved in FS pathogenesis. We tried to investigate serum and CSF levels of adiponectin, leptin, and interleukin-6 (IL-6); as adipocytokines, for the first time in Egyptian children with febrile seizures. Complex interaction between immuneinflammatory process, cytokines activation, and genetic factors is involved in febrile seizures pathogenesis [3]. The adipocytes are known to have an active endocrine function; adiponectin, leptin, interleukin-6 (IL − 6), tumor necrosis factor (TNF − α), vaspin, ometin and visfatin are produced in adipose tissue. These hormonally active peptides have common properties with cytokines, and referred to as adipocytokines [4]. Leptin has been proposed for clinical use as an anticonvulsant in addition to its potential metabolic effects in humans [10]

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