IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA – A RISK FACTOR FOR FEBRILE SEIZURES IN CHILDREN

Iron Deficiency Anemia

Abstract

Objective: To find out the association between iron deficiency anemia and febrile seizures in children.
Study Design: Analytical: case-control study.
Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at Paediatrics department, Pak Emirates Military
Hospital Rawalpindi, from May 2013 till Oct 2013.
Material and Methods: Two Hundred patients were selected through non probability consecutive sampling, one
hundred in each group i.e. patients with febrile seizures and patients without febrile seizures. The blood sample
of cases and controls were taken at the time of admission and was sent for assessment of hemoglobin (Hb), serum
ferritin level, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV). The
samples were analyzed for iron deficiency anemia and compared in both groups (patients with febrile seizures
and those without febrile seizures).
Results: In the febrile seizures group 58 (58%) were anemic with a hemoglobin level less than 10gm/dL and
59 (59%) had a low plasma ferritin of less than 10ng/dL. In the control group 39 (39%) were anemic with a
hemoglobin level less than 10gm/dL and 26 (26%) had a plasma ferritin of less than 10ng/dL. The frequency of
anemia with low MCV, MCHC and serum ferritin was more in the febrile seizure group 38% as compared to 20%
in controls (p-value = 0.002).
Conclusion: The children with febrile seizures have lower hemoglobin, MCV, MCHC and serum ferritin level as
compared to the control groups suggesting that iron deficiency anemia has a positive role in the pathogenesis of
febrile seizures.