[Clinical, etiological, and therapeutic aspects of febrile convulsions. A review of 325 cases in Yaoundé]

Abstract

A prospective study of 325 children with febrile seizures was conducted in 2 hospitals in Yaoundé, from 15 January to 15 December 2008. The proportion of patients with febrile seizures among all admitted patients was 6.1%. The mean age was 24.6 months; the peak age of these patients was 12-17 months. The sex ratio was 1.5. The mean temperature on admission was 39.2 degrees C. There was a family history of febrile seizures in 36.4%. Simple febrile seizures were seen in 58.7% and the complex type in 41.3%. Malaria was the main etiology in 67.7%, followed by upper and lower respiratory tract infection in 14.1% and 9.8%, respectively. Lumbar puncture was performed in all patients. The commonest anticonvulsant used to stop seizures was rectal diazepam in 88%. Febrile seizure prophylaxis was administered to 43% of the patients; antipyretics were the most widely used, either alone or combined with rectal diazepam.