ABSTRACT

Febrile seizure (FS) is the most common form of childhood seizures. Furthermore, idiopathic/generalized and focal/self-limited epilepsies present at the similar age-range. They usually have a favorable outcome. This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence and demographic profile of FS in patients with idiopathic/generalized and focal/self-limited epilepsies.

This retrospective study included all of the patients with normal developmental assessments who were admitted to our outpatient clinic with idiopathic/generalized and focal/self-limited epilepsy. The data were collected from their medical and electroencephalogram records. The patients were subgrouped according to their syndromes and the presence of FS. Comparisons were made for the characteristics of FS.

Among 320 patients with the diagnosis of focal or generalized epilepsy with presumed genetic cause, FSs were present in 14.7% (n=47) of them without gender preponderance. Self-limited focal epilepsy was present in 232 children (72.5%). The mean age of epilepsy onset was 7.97±3.38 years (range: 1–18 years). Although the distribution of FSs in focal or generalized epilepsy groups (p=0.552) and subtypes of these groups (p=0.701) did not indicate any statistical significance, highest ratios of FS occurrence were found in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy and idiopathic photosensitive occipital lobe epilepsy groups.

Gender, family history of epilepsy and FS, onset age of epilepsy, type of epilepsy did not seem as a predictor factor for subsequent epilepsy in the patients with FS otherwise normal children.

Keywords: Febrile seizure, focal/self-limited epilepsy, idiopathic/generalized epilepsy