ABSTRACT

We determined serum prolactin levels after febrile and afebrile convulsions, and the effect of afebrile convulsions on serum prolactin levels and peripheral white blood cell count was assessed for the differential diagnosis of epileptic and pseudoepileptic seizures.

Serum prolactin levels and white blood cell count were measured in 19 patients with afebrile convulsions (12 boys, 7 girls; mean age 73.3 months; range 2 months to 13 years) and in 32 patients with febrile convulsions (22 boys, 10 girls; mean age 30.5 months; range 9 months to 5.5 years). Postictal measurements were made at a mean period of 2.9±0.3 hours. The results were compared with those of two control groups including 30 afebrile (19 boys, 11 girls; mean age 60.4 months; range 3 months to 14 years) and 30 febrile (16 boys, 14 girls; mean age 32.6 months; range 4 months to 5.5 years) patients.

Postictal serum prolactin levels in patients with febrile and afebrile convulsions were significantly higher than those of the control groups (p<0.05). Compared to afebrile controls, afebrile convulsions were associated with significantly elevated peripheral white blood cell counts (p<0.05).

Significant increases in postictal serum prolactin levels in both febrile and afebrile convulsions may be a useful marker for the differentiation of epileptic and pseudoepileptic seizures. Peripheral white blood cell count is also significantly elevated at a mean postictal period of 2.9 hours in afebrile convulsions.

Keywords: Child, epilepsy/blood, leukocyte count, prolactin/blood, seizures, febrile/blood