Serum Electrolyte Levels in Children with Febrile Seizures: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Febrile seizures are the most common type of childhood seizure, typically occurring in children younger than 60 months of age. They are categorised into simple and complex febrile seizures. The recurrence of febrile seizures is also high. Among the various known risk factors for recurr...

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Main Authors: Sampurna Ray, Dipanjan Halder, Neha Karar, Prativa Biswas, Shah Masud Hayder, Anwesha Mondal, Tapas Sardar, Chandramohan S Kammar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: JCDR Research and Publications Private Limited 2025-03-01
Series:Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research
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Online Access:https://jcdr.net/articles/PDF/20792/73552_CE[Ra1]_F(SHU)_QC(PS_IS)_PF1(AG_OM)_PFA(IS)_PB(AG_IS)_PN(IS).pdf
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author Sampurna Ray
Dipanjan Halder
Neha Karar
Prativa Biswas
Shah Masud Hayder
Anwesha Mondal
Tapas Sardar
Chandramohan S Kammar
author_facet Sampurna Ray
Dipanjan Halder
Neha Karar
Prativa Biswas
Shah Masud Hayder
Anwesha Mondal
Tapas Sardar
Chandramohan S Kammar
author_sort Sampurna Ray
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Febrile seizures are the most common type of childhood seizure, typically occurring in children younger than 60 months of age. They are categorised into simple and complex febrile seizures. The recurrence of febrile seizures is also high. Among the various known risk factors for recurrence, serum sodium is a quantifiable and correctable factor. However, there are very few studies in this field to determine whether other serum electrolytes at presentation also have any association with the type of seizure or the patient’s gender, which are non modifiable risk factors for recurrence. Aim: To measure serum electrolyte levels (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium) in patients with febrile seizures at presentation and to find out its association with the type of seizure and the patient’s sex. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 76 patients aged six months to five years who were admitted to the Paediatrics Inpatient Department (PIPD), attended the Paediatrics Out-Patients Department (POPD) and visited the Paediatrics Emergency of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India, with any episode of febrile seizure between April 2021 and March 2022. The serum electrolyte levels (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium) in patients with febrile seizures were measured. Data were analysed using STATA version 16 software, employing Fisher’s exact test, with a p-value of <0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Out of the 76 study subjects, 55.26% were male and 44.74% were female, resulting in a male-to-female ratio of 1.23:1. Of the subjects, 93.42% had simple febrile seizures, while 6.58% exhibited complex febrile seizures. A statistically significant association was found between the type of febrile seizure and serum magnesium (p-value=0.006), as well as between the sex of the patients and serum calcium levels (p-value=0.012). No statistically significant association was observed between the sex of the study subjects and serum sodium (p-value=0.105), serum potassium (p-value=0.576), or serum magnesium levels (p-value=0.312). Furthermore, the type of febrile seizure showed no statistical significance with serum sodium (p-value=0.284), potassium (p-value=0.820), or calcium levels (p-value=0.373). Conclusion: The present study concluded a significant association between serum magnesium levels and the type of febrile seizure, as well as between serum calcium levels and the sex of the patients. Thus, measuring serum electrolytes in patients with febrile seizures at the time of presentation is beneficial, as it is easy to perform, provides rapid results and identifies correctable and quantifiable issues.
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spelling doaj-art-f8e09a7db6b14c59b9b12d89c5f57df22025-08-20T02:16:10ZengJCDR Research and Publications Private LimitedJournal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research2249-782X0973-709X2025-03-01193202410.7860/JCDR/2025/73552.20792Serum Electrolyte Levels in Children with Febrile Seizures: A Cross-sectional StudySampurna Ray0Dipanjan Halder1Neha Karar2Prativa Biswas3Shah Masud Hayder4Anwesha Mondal5Tapas Sardar6Chandramohan S Kammar7Senior Resident, Department of Paediatrics, R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.Assistant Professor, Department of Paediatrics, R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.Associate Professor, Department of Paediatrics, R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.Senior Resident, Department of Paediatrics, R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.Senior Resident, Department of Paediatrics, R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.Senior Resident, Department of Paediatrics, R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.Senior Resident, Department of Paediatrics, R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.Introduction: Febrile seizures are the most common type of childhood seizure, typically occurring in children younger than 60 months of age. They are categorised into simple and complex febrile seizures. The recurrence of febrile seizures is also high. Among the various known risk factors for recurrence, serum sodium is a quantifiable and correctable factor. However, there are very few studies in this field to determine whether other serum electrolytes at presentation also have any association with the type of seizure or the patient’s gender, which are non modifiable risk factors for recurrence. Aim: To measure serum electrolyte levels (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium) in patients with febrile seizures at presentation and to find out its association with the type of seizure and the patient’s sex. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 76 patients aged six months to five years who were admitted to the Paediatrics Inpatient Department (PIPD), attended the Paediatrics Out-Patients Department (POPD) and visited the Paediatrics Emergency of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India, with any episode of febrile seizure between April 2021 and March 2022. The serum electrolyte levels (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium) in patients with febrile seizures were measured. Data were analysed using STATA version 16 software, employing Fisher’s exact test, with a p-value of <0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Out of the 76 study subjects, 55.26% were male and 44.74% were female, resulting in a male-to-female ratio of 1.23:1. Of the subjects, 93.42% had simple febrile seizures, while 6.58% exhibited complex febrile seizures. A statistically significant association was found between the type of febrile seizure and serum magnesium (p-value=0.006), as well as between the sex of the patients and serum calcium levels (p-value=0.012). No statistically significant association was observed between the sex of the study subjects and serum sodium (p-value=0.105), serum potassium (p-value=0.576), or serum magnesium levels (p-value=0.312). Furthermore, the type of febrile seizure showed no statistical significance with serum sodium (p-value=0.284), potassium (p-value=0.820), or calcium levels (p-value=0.373). Conclusion: The present study concluded a significant association between serum magnesium levels and the type of febrile seizure, as well as between serum calcium levels and the sex of the patients. Thus, measuring serum electrolytes in patients with febrile seizures at the time of presentation is beneficial, as it is easy to perform, provides rapid results and identifies correctable and quantifiable issues.https://jcdr.net/articles/PDF/20792/73552_CE[Ra1]_F(SHU)_QC(PS_IS)_PF1(AG_OM)_PFA(IS)_PB(AG_IS)_PN(IS).pdfserum calciumserum magnesiumsex of patients
spellingShingle Sampurna Ray
Dipanjan Halder
Neha Karar
Prativa Biswas
Shah Masud Hayder
Anwesha Mondal
Tapas Sardar
Chandramohan S Kammar
Serum Electrolyte Levels in Children with Febrile Seizures: A Cross-sectional Study
Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research
serum calcium
serum magnesium
sex of patients
title Serum Electrolyte Levels in Children with Febrile Seizures: A Cross-sectional Study
title_full Serum Electrolyte Levels in Children with Febrile Seizures: A Cross-sectional Study
title_fullStr Serum Electrolyte Levels in Children with Febrile Seizures: A Cross-sectional Study
title_full_unstemmed Serum Electrolyte Levels in Children with Febrile Seizures: A Cross-sectional Study
title_short Serum Electrolyte Levels in Children with Febrile Seizures: A Cross-sectional Study
title_sort serum electrolyte levels in children with febrile seizures a cross sectional study
topic serum calcium
serum magnesium
sex of patients
url https://jcdr.net/articles/PDF/20792/73552_CE[Ra1]_F(SHU)_QC(PS_IS)_PF1(AG_OM)_PFA(IS)_PB(AG_IS)_PN(IS).pdf
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