Majallah-i Dānishgāh-i ̒Ulūm-i Pizishkī-i Bābul (Apr 2005)
Convulsion causes in patients with acute gastroenteritis
Abstract
Background and Objective: There are many causes in acute gastroenteritis that result convulsion such as fever, electrolyte imbalances, meningitis and sometimes toxins. The aim of this study was to evaluate the convulsion causes in these patients. Methods: This prospective and descriptive study was performed on 34 patients with acute gastroenteritis and convulsion admitted in Amirkola children hospital during may 2002 to November 2002 on the basis of questionable titles. The patients were assessed according to fever, electrolyte imbalances, stool smear and culture. Findings: In this study, 34 patients between 7 months to 10 years were assessed that 22 cases were male and 12 were female. 97% of the patients were febrile and the most of them had temperature below 39°C (70.5%). 11.7% had hyponatremic electrolyte imbalances that were equal in both sexes. The convulsion was more common in males than females (1.83 fold), exclusively generalized form and frequently in 2-3 years old (26.4%). 56% had lethargic decreasing level of consciousness, 79.4% of them hadn’t past history and 70% hadn’t familial history of convulsion. 53% had positive stool smear and 11.76% had positive stool culture (Stool culture was exclusively shigellosis) and one case had positive blood culture (G+ bacillus). Conclusion: The findings show that fever and electrolyte imbalances are 2 important factors of causing convulsion in the patients with acute gastroenteritis. Thus, management of these noting factors is important in prevention of convulsion.
