Clinical Study of Acute Febrile Convulsion in Korean Children (1968~1976)

An analysis present of 96 cases of the acute febrile convulsions in Korean children, treated at the pediatric ward, Ewha Womans University Hospital from Jan 1, 1968 to Dec. 31, 1976. The average number of the patients in the annual incidence was 10 cases, which was 1.9 percent of the total admitted patients of the pediatrics in our hospital. Seasonal distribution revealed as the highest in summer (31.3%) and fifty-eight, 60.4 percent of the patients were male and 38 or 39.6%, female. The highest portion of those with febrile seizures, namely 27.1%, occured in the 1 to 2 years of age, followed by 18.8% in the first year of life and 15.7% in the 3~4 years of life. The family history in siblings, parents and/or near relatives showed convulsions in 16 cases(16.7 percent). The risk of seizure in the acute febrile convulsions increased with the temperature. In 44.8% of the author's cases the temperature was 38°~39°9'C. But we also experienced the convulsive children (10.4%) whose temperatures were in mild degree (under the 38℃). Infections and fever are partners in crime. In the 96 cases, 65.7% involved acute upper respiratory infection. The others were gastroenteritis (13.4%)m pneumonia (11.6%), bronchitis (2.1%) in orders. Tonic and clonic convulsions were found in 83 cases (86.5%) and the other was twitching (14.5%). In routine hematologic findings anemia was present in 26 cases(37.1%) and the normal value of hemoglobin was in 70 cases(72.9%). Leukocytosis (>10,000/mm³) included in 60 cases (60.5%). We found that hyponatremia was a common finding in children admitted to our hospital with febrile convulsion. The mean Na was 135 mEq/L and hyponatremia was present in 6 cases (31.6%) of the 19 cases. The highest incidence in the duration of seizure was represented in those lasted 5 to 30 minutes as 36 cases (37.6%). In author's study 94.8% of the 96 cases had but one febrile seizure and the recurrence attack represented only 5.2%. The mean hospital day was 2.5 days.