ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to investigate the risk factors for epilepsy development following febrile seizure (FS).

This study included 449 patients undergoing first FS between 2014 and 2017. The sociodemographic, clinical, and electroencephalography (EEG) characteristics of the patients were retrieved from hospital records. Patients followed-up for at least 3 years after FS were divided into two groups (epilepsy and FS group; FS only group).

Of the 449 patients followed-up due to FS (238 [53.2%] boys and 211 [46.8%] girls), 42 (9.4%) were diagnosed with epilepsy during follow-up. The mean age at the time of the first FS was 21.4±14.5 months. A positive family history of FS and epilepsy was observed in 217 (48.3%) and 66 (14.7%) patients, respectively. In terms of FS characteristics, the prevalence of complex FS was significantly higher in the subsequent epilepsy group. The presence of a history of perinatal asphyxia and epileptiform or background abnormality findings at first EEG was also significantly higher in the subsequent epilepsy group (p<0.001).

The findings of this study show that a history of perinatal asphyxia, complex FS, and epileptiform discharges at initial EEG exhibited an increased association with epilepsy development.

Keywords: EEG, epilepsy, febrile, perinatal history, seizure