What is the association between iron deficiency anemia and the frequency or severity of febrile seizures in children under the age of 5?

Authors

• Rehab Fawzy Abdel Mohsen Soliman, General Organization for Teaching Hospitals and Institutes, Cairo, Egypt, El- Sahel Teaching Hospital, Pediatric Department.Follow
• Samar Mahmoud Ahmed, General Organization for Teaching Hospitals and Institutes, Cairo, Egypt, El- Sahel Teaching Hospital, Pediatric Department.
• Yasmen Ahmed Said, General Organization for Teaching Hospitals and Institutes, Cairo, Egypt, El- Sahel Teaching Hospital, Pediatric Department.
• Shaimaa Mohamed Hassan, General Organization for Teaching Hospitals and Institutes, Cairo, Egypt, El- Sahel Teaching Hospital, Pediatric Department.
• Dalia Hassanin Hussin, General Organization for Teaching Hospitals and Institutes, Cairo, Egypt, El- Sahel Teaching Hospital, Pediatric Department.
• Dina Gaber Soliman, General Organization for Teaching Hospitals and Institutes, Cairo, Egypt, El- Sahel Teaching Hospital, Pediatric Department.
• Zeinab Abdalla Ali, General Organization for Teaching Hospitals and Institutes, Cairo, Egypt, El- Sahel Teaching Hospital, Pediatric Department.
• Eman Farouk Osman, General Organization for Teaching Hospitals and Institutes, Cairo, Egypt, El- Sahel Teaching Hospital, Neuro-psychiatry Department

Abstract

Background and Aim Febrile seizures (FS) are a common type of convulsion in young children and are frequently associated with fever in the absence of a central nervous system infection. This study aims to investigate the relationship between iron deficiency and febrile seizures, focusing on their occurrence, severity, and recurrence in children aged 6 months to 5 years. Methodology This study employed a case-control design and was conducted at El Sahel Teaching Hospital in Cairo, Egypt, over 12 months. The study sample consisted of 160 children, 80 of whom had febrile seizures and another 80 who were age- and sex-matched febrile controls without seizures. The study utilized a diagnostic collection that encompassed parents’ interviews, along with clinical and physical examinations and laboratory tests focusing on iron indices, including hemoglobin (Hb), serum iron, serum ferritin, total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), and transferrin saturation. Results Children who experienced febrile seizures had significantly lower average levels of hemoglobin, serum iron, serum ferritin, and transferrin saturation when compared to the control group (p < 0.001). Their TIBC values, however, were markedly elevated. In this group, the presence of iron deficiency anemia was more common. Within this subset, children with recurrent febrile seizures demonstrated greater reductions in iron indices. Logistic regression analysis revealed that decreased ferritin levels, decreased transferrin saturation, and decreased TIBC values were independent risk factors for febrile seizures. Conclusion and Recommendations Deficiency of iron and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) are strongly associated with a higher risk of febrile seizures, especially with recurrent and prolonged episodes. There is a strong recommendation for screening iron levels among children who present with febrile illnesses. Identifying and treating iron deficiency early can decrease the risk and severity of febrile seizures. There is a need for longitudinal studies regarding the impact of iron supplementation on the recurrence of febrile seizures.

Article Type

Original Study

Subject Area

Pediatrics

IRB Number

HS000142

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Soliman, Rehab Fawzy Abdel Mohsen; Ahmed, Samar Mahmoud; Said, Yasmen Ahmed; Hassan, Shaimaa Mohamed; Hussin, Dalia Hassanin; Soliman, Dina Gaber; Ali, Zeinab Abdalla; and Osman, Eman Farouk (2026) "What is the association between iron deficiency anemia and the frequency or severity of febrile seizures in children under the age of 5?," Journal of Medicine in Scientific Research: Vol. 9: Iss. 2, Article 16.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59299/2537-0928.1496