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Simple Febrile Convulsion and Iron Deficiency Anemia A Co-relation in Nepalese Children

Tejesh Malla1,, Kalpana K Malla1, Brijesh Sathian2, Prabha Chettri1, Sandip Singh1, Amrita Ghimire1

1Department of Pediatrics, Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Pokhara, Nepal

2Department of Community Medicine, Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Pokhara, Nepal

American Journal of Public Health Research. 2015, 3(5A), 11-16. DOI: 10.12691/ajphr-3-5A-4
Published online: August 25, 2017

Abstract

Simple febrile convulsion is the most common central nervous system disease seen in children. There are hypotheses that thresh hold of neuron excitation maybe affected by iron deficiency anemia. This study was done to find out a co-relation between iron deficiency anemia and simple febrile convulsion. The prospective comparative study was conducted at Manipal Teaching Hospital, Pokhara, Nepal 162 children admitted in the pediatric ward were selected and divided into two groups, febrile convulsion (Cases) and other causes of fever with no convulsion (Control). Blood was sent for each child for complete blood count, peripheral smear blood indices and iron profile. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 19. A p value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. The patients and controls were 22.55 ±10.220 and 21.64±12.959 months of mean age, respectively. The peak of mean temperature on admission was in the febrile convulsion group than controls. (57/92) 61.95 % of cases and 15/70) 21.42% of controls anemic (P< 0.001). Moreover, the group with febrile convulsion had significantly lower blood indices, such as Hb, MCV, MCH, MCHC and RDW, compared to control group (P< 0.001).Iron deficiency anemia was significantly higher in cases compared to controls(p<0.001) Iron supplementation can probably increase the threshold of neuron excitation in fever and help prevent febrile convulsion in children.

Keywords:

children, febrile convulsion, iron deficiency
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