PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Heydarian, Farhad
AU  - Ashrafzadeh, Farah
AU  - Rostazadeh, Atefeh
TI  - Predicting factors and prevalence of meningitis in patients with first seizure and fever aged 6 to 18 months
DP  - 2014 Oct 01
TA  - Neurosciences Journal
PG  - 297--300
VI  - 19
IP  - 4
4099  - http://nsj.org.sa/content/19/4/297.short
4100  - http://nsj.org.sa/content/19/4/297.full
SO  - Neurosciences (Riyadh)2014 Oct 01; 19
AB  - Objective: To evaluate predicting factors and prevalence of meningitis in patients with first seizure and fever aged 6-18 months old.Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 800 patients aged 6-18 months old who had first attack of seizure with fever between March 2005 and March 2012 in the pediatric ward of Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad, Iran.Results: Among 800 patients, lumbar puncture (LP) was performed in 453 (56.6%) patients, of whom 80 cases had meningitis (17.6% of LP patients). Postictal drowsiness (p=0.003), neurologic deficit (p=0.000), and body temperature ≥38.5°C (p=0.035) were among the clinical signs, which were statistically significant predicting factors for meningitis. Laboratory tests including white blood count (WBC) ≥15000 mm3 (p=0.004), and hemoglobin (Hb) <10.5 gr/dl (p=0.020) also had statistical significance in predicting meningitis.Conclusion: Postictal drowsiness, neurological deficit, body temperature ≥38°5C, WBC ≥15000 mm3, and Hb <10.5 gr/dl were clinical and laboratory factors predictive of meningitis in cases with first attack of seizure and fever.