A prospective study on Profile of children admitted with seizures in a tertiary care hospital in Punjab India

Abstract

Introduction: Acute seizures are among the commonest paediatric neurological symptom in mal-nutrient and sick children.The study was aimed to study the effect of demographics, clinical seizure types, etiologies and outcome during the hospital stay of such children. Materials and Methods: The prospective hospital based study was conducted in tertiary care hospital in children admitted in the age group 6 months to 15 years in the Paediatric Department. The Case selection was done in pediatric patients of between 1 and 15 years ages on the basis of detailed history, clinical examination and relevant investigations like electroencephalography, Neuroimaging, blood biochemical studies as required.  Cases of neonatal seizures, single unproked seizure, provoked seizures (e.g. febrile seizures), seizures due to metabolic disturbances (e.g. hypocalcemic seizures etc.) and those with establishhed neuropathology (e.g. meningitis, tuberculoma, neurocysticercosis, tubercular meningitis etc.) were excluded from the study. Results: Total 200 patients were included in the study with the age group of 6 months to 15 years of age among them 124 were male and 76 were females. Meningitis was the most common cause of seizure followed by febrile seizure, Seizure disorder, Encephalitis, Neurocysticercosis Tubercular meningitis.The incidence of general and partial seizures in different age group was in 6 month to 5 year partial was 18 and general was 69. In 6 – 10 years age group partial was 16 and general was 34. In 11-15years age group partial was 11 and general 27. Conclusion:The study concludes that the acute episode of seizures is one of the major cause of hospitalization with high mortality but also are the reasons of physical, mental and financial distress for their parents.