Yield of diagnostic studies in children presenting with complex febrile seizures

• Published in: Pediatric emergency care Vol. 28; no. 8; p. 789
• Main Authors: Hardasmalani, Madhu Dunichand, Saber, Mai
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.08.2012
• Subjects: Blood Cell Count - statistics & numerical data; Brain - pathology; Emergency Service, Hospital; Female; Humans; Infant; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Meningoencephalitis - diagnosis; Mycoplasma pneumoniae - isolation & purification; Neurologic Examination; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma - cerebrospinal fluid; Retrospective Studies; Seizures, Febrile - etiology; Spinal Puncture - statistics & numerical data; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Urinalysis - statistics & numerical data
• ISSN: 1535-1815
• DOI: 10.1097/PEC.0b013e3182627ed2

The objective of this study was to determine the yield of diagnostic workup in children presenting with complex febrile seizures. We performed a retrospective review of charts of patients who presented to our pediatric emergency department with complex febrile seizures (focal, prolonged, or recurrent). Patients with known seizure disorder, congenital central nervous system malformations, or hydrocephalus were excluded. The charts were reviewed for diagnostic workup. There were 71 eligible encounters (mean age, 1.5 years); 59.2% were males. None of the 71 patients had positive blood or urine cultures; none had abnormal blood count or serum chemistries. Only 1 patient who had a very abnormal presentation in febrile status epilepticus had positive cerebrospinal fluid culture and abnormal brain computed tomography scan and magnetic resonance imaging. Most patients with complex febrile seizures do not require extensive diagnostic workup.