TITLE:
Febrile Seizures in Children at the Departmental Teaching Hospital of Ouémé Plateau: Etiologies and Risk Factors for Death
AUTHORS:
Caroline Padonou, Gilles Bognon, Lutécia Zohoun, Florence Alihonou, Mauriella Edjrokinto, Gratien Sagbo
KEYWORDS:
Febrile Seizures, Severe Malaria, Sepsis, Child
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Pediatrics,
Vol.12 No.2,
May
11,
2022
ABSTRACT: Background: Febrile seizures are the most frequent neurological
disorder in pediatrics. They have multiple etiologies and require urgent
management. The aim of this survey was to study febrile seizures in
children at the Departmental Teaching Hospital of Ouémé Plateau (DTH/OP). Method: This
was a cross-sectional survey, conducted from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020, in the pediatric department of the DTH/OP.
Children aged 1 month to 18 years, hospitalized for febrile seizures recognized
at the anamnesis and/or during the physical examination were included in
this study. Results: The frequency of seizures was 17.08% (510/2986).
The male to female ratio was equal to 1.4. The mean age was 44.27 ± 40.75
months. The seizure was generalized tonic-clonic in 77.9% of cases and localized in 11.6% of
cases. The main etiologies were severe malaria (75.5%), sepsis (21.6%), enteric
infections (14.9%) and pneumonia (10.2%). Diazepam was the anticonvulsant
treatment used in the first intention (79.7%). Most of the children were hospitalized for 3 to
7 days. The recovery rate was 82.3% and the
fatality rate was equal to 17.7%. Eight children presented sequelae.
There was a statistically significant link between the children’s clinical
outcome and age (p = 0.003). Conclusion: Febrile
seizures were frequent in the pediatric emergency department of the DTH/OP.
There is a need to intensify sensitization on malaria prevention measures in
the community and improve case management at the hospital.