An Electroencephalographic Study of Febrile Convulsion in Childhood

Shin, Jong Woo; Soh, Chang Ok; Jeong, Jin Young

Abstract

PURPOSE: Febrile convulsion is most common neurologic disorder in childhood, which benign course but transition to epilepsy is not certain. This study was carried out to reveal the usefulness of electroencephalography of febrile convulsion in childhood.
METHODS
Electroencephalography (EEG) was performed on 116 children who visited the department of Pediatrics, Haesung hospital from November 1992 to December 1994 due to febrile convulsion. They were classified into 2 categories; simple febrile convulsion (SFC) and complex febrile convulsion (CFC) on the basis of clinical findings.
RESULTS
1) Male to female ratio was 1.4:1 and most frequent group was 6 month to 3 years of age, which occupied 82.8%. 2) The incidence of normal EEG were 76.7% and in SFC and CFC were 84.2% and 62.5% respectively. 3) The mild abnormality was most dominant among groups of EEG abnormality. 4) The most common abnormal EEG finding in febrile convulsion was slow wave and the least was multiple spike. 5) The most common age group of abnormal EEG was over 5 years of age (66.7%). 6) In relationship between EEG findings and frequency of febrile convulsion, abnormality was higher in more than 5 times attack group. But statistical significance was not present. 7) The frequency of afebrile seizure after febrile convulsion was 2.2% in normal EEG group and 29.6% in abnormal group and most common abnormal EEG finding was paroxysmal rhythmic wave.
CONCLUSIONS
An EEG after febrile convulsion should be selectively performed in group of CFC, under the 6 months or over the 3 years of age group. Further study will be needed to know the usefulness of EEG after febrile convulsion.