Z. Gunduz et al., SERUM AND CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID ZINC LEVELS IN CHILDREN WITH FEBRILE CONVULSIONS, Acta Paediatrica Japonica Overseas Edition, 38(3), 1996, pp. 237-241
The mechanisms underlying febrile convulsions (FC), which have multipl
e etiological factors, are not yet clear. The aim of the present study
was to determine whether there were any changes in serum and cerebros
pinal fluid (CSF) zinc (Zn) levels in children with febrile convulsion
during seizures. A total of 102 children were included in the study,
with four groups formed as follows: group A, 40 children with FC (aged
9 months to 5 years); group B, 20 children having fever without convu
lsion (aged 6 months to 5 years); group C, 20 children with afebrile c
onvulsion (aged 6 months to 6 years) and group D, 22 healthy children
(aged 5 months to 6 years). Serum and CSF zinc levels for groups A, B
and C and serum Zn levels only for group D were measured. The serum Zn
levels of 17 children in group A were again measured during healthy p
eriods. Serum Zn levels of groups A, B, C and D had a mean of 0.70 +/-
0.10 mg/dL, 1.07 +/- 0.08 mg/dL, 1.26 +/- 0.32 mg/dL and 1.17 +/- 0.2
1 mg/dL, respectively, and the values of group A were lower than those
of the other three groups (P < 0.001). In group B, serum Zn levels we
re also lower than those of groups C and D (P < 0.05). The CSF Zn leve
ls of groups A, B and C were found to have a mean of 0.07 +/- 0.02 mg/
L, 0.12 +/- 0.02 mg/L and 0.14 +/- 0.04 mg/L, respectively. In group A
, the CSF Zn levels were lower than those of groups B and C (P < 0.001
), and in group B they were lower than those of group C (P < 0.05). Fo
r the 17 patients in group A, serum Zn levels during healthy periods (
0.87 +/- 0.10 mg/dL) were found to be higher than the values shortly a
fter seizures, but lower than those of groups B, C and D (P < 0.001).
We could not observe any relationship between zinc levels of the serum
and CSF and the degree and duration of the fever. These findings sugg
est that serum and CSF Zn levels decreased during infectious diseases,
and that this decrease was more significant in patients with FC.