The Levels of Zinc and Neuron-specific Enolase in Febrile Convulsion

Cho, Hong Sang; Shin, Jun Hun; Seo, Ji Yeoung; Lee, Cho Ae; Kim, Se Hyun; Chae, Kyu Young

Abstract

PURPOSE
To determine the role of zinc in febrile convulsion and to evaluate whether febrile convulsion causes neuronal damage, serum and cerebrospinal fluid(CSF), zinc and CSF neuron-specific enolase(NSE) levels were measured in patients with febrile convulsion, epilepsy and aseptic meningitis.
METHODS
Three groups were formed as follows: group I:53 children with febrile convulsion; group II:34 children with epilepsy; and group III, 40 children with aseptic meningitis. Serum and CSF zinc and CSF NSE levels were measured in each groups.
RESULTS
The serum zinc levels of groups I, II and III had a mean of 74.71+/-18.26 microgram/dL, 104.35+/-31.43 microgram/dL and 87.03+/-24.47 microgram/dL, respectively, and the values of group I were significantly lower than those of the other two groups. The CSF zinc levels of groups I, II and III were found to have a mean 27.72+/-17.93 microgram/dL, 44.73+/-26.72 microgram/dL and 54.44+/-28.43 microgram/dL, respectively. In group I, the CSF zinc levels were significantly lower than those of other two groups. The CSF NSE levels of groups I, II and III had a mean of 11.61+/-2.96 ng/mL, 16.51+/-5.46 ng/mL and 14.60+/-3.02 ng/mL respectively and the values of group I were significantly lower than those of others.
CONCLUSION
We confirmed that low zinc levels in serum and CSF are participants in the pathogenesis of febrile convulsion, but we could not find out the evidence of neurologic damage in patients with febrile convulsion using NSE levels in CSF.