Case-Based Review

Febrile Seizures: Evaluation and Treatment

Journal of Clinical Outcomes Management. 2017 July;24(7)

Author(s):

References

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From the Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH (Dr. Patel) and Cook Children’s Medical Center, Fort Worth, TX (Dr. Perry).

Abstract

Objective: To review the current understanding and management of febrile seizures.
Methods: Review of the literature.
Results: Febrile seizures are a common manifestation in early childhood and very often a benign occurrence. For simple febrile seizures, minimal evaluation is necessary and treatment typically not warranted beyond reassurance and education of caregivers. For complex febrile seizures, additional evaluation in rare cases may suggest an underlying seizure tendency, though most follow a typical benign course of febrile seizures. In some cases, as-needed benzodiazepines used for prolonged or recurrent febrile seizures may be of value. There are well described epilepsy syndromes for which febrile seizures may be the initial manifestation and it is paramount that providers recognize the signs and symptoms of these syndromes in order to appropriately counsel families and initiate treatment or referral when warranted.
Conclusion: Providers caring for pediatric patients should be aware of the clinical considerations in managing patients with febrile seizures.

Key words: febrile seizure; Dravat syndrome; GEFS+; PCDH19; FIRES; complex febrile seizure.

A febrile seizure is defined as a seizure in association with a febrile illness in the absence of a central nervous system infection or acute electrolyte imbalance in children older than 1 month of age without prior afebrile seizures [1]. The mechanism by which fever provokes a febrile seizure is unclear [2]. Febrile seizures are the most common type of childhood seizures, affecting 2% to 5% of children [1]. The age of onset is between 6 months and 5 years [3]; peak incidence occurs at about 18 months of age. Simple febrile seizures are the most common type of febrile seizure. By definition, they are generalized, last less than 10 minutes and only occur once in a 24-hour time-period. A complex febrile seizure is one with focal onset or one that occurs more than once during a febrile illness, or lasts more than 10 minutes. Febrile status epilepticus, a subtype of complex febrile seizures, represents about 25% of all episodes of childhood status epilepticus. They account for more than two-thirds of cases during the first 2 years of life.

The risk of reoccurrence after presenting with one febrile seizure is approximately 30%, with the risk being 60% after 2 febrile seizures and 90% after 3 [4–6]. Some families have an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern with polygenic inheritance suspected for the majority of patients presenting with febrile seizures.

Multiple chromosomes have been postulated to be associated with genetic susceptibility for febrile seizures, with siblings having a 25% increased risk and high concordance noted in monozygotic twins [7]. The pathophysiology for febrile seizures has been associated with a genetic risk associated with the rate of temperature rise with animal studies suggesting temperature regulation of c-aminobutyric acid (GABA) a receptors [2]. Other studies propose a link between genetic and environmental factors resulting in an inflammatory process which influences neuronal excitement predisposing one to a febrile seizure [8].