Association between Hypochromic Microcytic Anaemia and Febrile Seizure in patients admitted at Pelonomi Tertiary Hospital in Bloemfontein from January 2019 to December 2019
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Date
2021-07
Authors
Madikizela, Thozamile
Journal Title
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Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Febrile seizure, which affects 2-5% of neurologically healthy children, is the most common type of seizure in children. The seizures occur in the context of a global iron deficiency that stands out as the most common nutritional deficiency especially prevalent in developing countries. Studies carried out to determine the association between febrile seizures and iron deficiency anaemia have yielded contradictory results. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association, if any, between febrile seizures and hypochromic microcytic anaemia (iron deficiency anaemia). Hypochromic microcytic anaemia is a surrogate for iron deficiency anaemia. METHODS: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study. A study population consisting of 244 patients, admitted over the period of twelve months with infective febrile illnesses, was included in the study. The age group was between six months and five years. In addition, 55 of these patients had febrile illnesses complicating with febrile seizures while 189 had febrile illnesses without febrile seizures. All of the patients’ full blood counts (FBC) were used to determine if each had hypochromic microcytic anaemia. The following FBC parameters were used: haemoglobin (HB), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) and red cell distribution width (RDW). Chi-square and Fischer’s exact tests were conducted for statistical interpretation. Finally, a comparison of full blood count parameters between the children with febrile seizures and those without was made. RESULTS: The mean age of all patients included in the study was 17 months. The study had 153 male patients who constituted 62.7% of the study population. The majority of patients had lower respiratory tract infection. Full blood count parameters of patients with febrile seizures and those without febrile seizures were similar. There was no statistical significance between the two groups (p=0.826). CONCLUSION: The results of the study, based on hypochromic microcytic anaemia used as surrogate for iron deficiency anaemia, showed no association between iron deficiency anaemia and febrile seizures. This was due to the lack of difference between patient with febrile seizures and those without febrile seizures, with no statistical difference.
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Keywords
Dissertation (M.Med. (Paediatrics and Child Care))--University of the Free State, 2021, Febrile illness, Seizures, Epilepsy, Iron deficiency, Febrile seizures, Paediatrics, Children, Fever