The first population-based study in the central region of the Republic of S
erbia (total population 283,103) was carried out to assess some epidemiolog
ical features of febrile convulsions among children of between 6 months and
5 years of age. During the 10-year period, 1986 to 1995, there were 570 ca
ses of the first febrile convulsions (287 males and 283 females). The avera
ge annual incidence rate was 3/1000 (2.9/1000 in males and 3.0/1000 in fema
les), with the highest in 1995. During the study period, a significantly in
creased linear regression trend was observed. During the follow-up period o
f 5 years for children who had their first febrile convulsions in 1989 and
1990 (total 154 cases), 27 (17.5%) had a recurrence of the disorder, and te
n (6.5%) had one or more afebrile seizures, of whom seven children (4.5% of
total sample) developed epilepsy (recurrent afebrile seizures). Eur J Neur
ol 6:39-42 (C) 1999 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.