Serum ferritin level in febrile children with and without seizures

Although febrile seizure is the most common cause of convulsion in childhood and strongly age-dependent, its incidence is rare before 9 months and after 5 years. Moreover, iron deficiency in these ages may have a detrimental effect on neurological and intellectual functioning. This study was designed to determine the serum ferritin level in febrile children with and without seizures. This case-control study was performed on 80 children (6 months to 5 years) referred to Kashan Shahid Beheshti hospital from January until June 2010.They were divided into two equal case and control groups (children with febrile seizures and febrile children without seizure, respectively). Children with the CNS disorder, developmental delay, renal failure, and shigellotic gastroenteritis were excluded. Ferritin, Hb, MCV and MCH values between the two groups were compared. The mean serum feritin levels were 97.6±90.6 ng/ml for cases and 109.2±106.2 ng/ml for controls (P=0.351).The mean corpuscular hemoglobin was 11.17±0.881 g/dl in the case group and 11.04±0.963 g/dl in the control one (P=0.534). Moreover, the mean MCV in the febrile seizure and fever groups were 73.71±4.16 fl and 71.86±4.42 fl, respectively (P=0.049). Also, the mean MCH in the febrile seizure and fever groups were 24.80±1.64 pg and 23.83±2.16 pg, respectively (P=0.033). No relationship between the serum ferritin level and febrile seizure is seen in both groups.