Last modified: 2014-04-03
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Since complex febrile seizure (CFS) is associated with increased risk of future epilepsy, EEGs are frequently ordered in clinical practice. This study aims to examine the effect of various clinical variables on the EEG abnormalities.
METHOD: The study was conducted in Yangon Children Hospital, Myanmar. History, examination, review of medical records and EEG request forms were done, and then standard EEG was obtained for all study children. The individual clinical variables associated with EEG abnormalities were analyzed using multivariate analyses.
RESULTS: Out of 44 children,21 (47.7%) children were infancy, 18(40.9%) between 1 to 3 years and above 3 years were 5 (11.4%). Only 6 children (13.6%) had EEG abnormalities (95% CI: 0.04-0.24). EEG abnormalities included focal epileptiform discharges (2 children), generalized epileptiform discharges (1 child) and others (3 children). Generalized epileptiform discharges included slow spikes waves in 3/second in one case and that child with absence seizure came to hospital only because of CFS. There were significant associations between abnormal EEG and two clinical variables -age older than 3 years and focal seizure (p =0.005 and 0.014 respectively). Other clinical variables like sex, seizure duration, postictal deficit, seizure frequency, interval between seizure and onset of fever, previous history and family history of febrile seizure and interval between EEG recording and seizure were not statistically significant.
CONCLUSION: EEG abnormality was more common in children over 3 years and focal seizures. Finding of EEG abnormality may result in closer clinical follow up to monitor for recurrent afebrile seizures.
Keywords
References
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