Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0009952 (febrile convulsions)
 1,215 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Seizures precipitated by the stimulus of hot water known as 'hot water epilepsy' (HWE) have been commonly reported from South India. The present report outlines certain descriptive epidemiological aspects of 78 cases from two rural satellite clinics of National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, India. Geographical clustering was observed in one of the centres. HWE was common in the age group of 26-35 years with a male to female ratio of 3.6:1. The frequency of seizure occurrence was more than 1-4 attacks/month in 89% of cases. Past history of febrile convulsions and family history of HWE was noticed in 27 and 18% of our cases, respectively. The conversion of reflex to nonreflex epilepsy occurred in 30.8% of cases. Population-based epidemiological studies are essential for further understanding of HWE for developing strategies towards prevention and control.
 ...
PMID:Correlates of hot water epilepsy in rural south India: a descriptive study. 129 80

In a 7-year prospective follow-up of 104 children with enuresis in 32 cases (19 boys and 13 girls) coexistence of common migraine was found. Twenty-two children had various other seizure-like disorders, particularly tics, febrile convulsions, pavor nocturnus and fainting, and three had absence attacks. In 20 cases vasomotor disturbances and in 17 abnormal Schellong's test were found. The IQ was normal or high in all cases. Emotional disorders were observed in nearly half the cases. The water-salt test of Decourt was done in 9 cases and it was abnormal in 8 cases. At least two abnormal EEG records were obtained in 26 cases, and in 24 of them seizure activity was demonstrated in the EEG. In the period of follow-up disappearance or very marked improvement of enuresis occurred in all cases and migrainous attacks became less frequent and intense in 27 cases, while in 5 the severity of migraine increased. The author discusses the pathological mechanism of these disturbances calling attention to less good efficiency of the regulatory functions of the centrencephalic activating system and hypothalamus connected with biochemical and bioelectric immaturity.
 ...
PMID:[Coexistence of idiopathic spontaneous nocturnal enuresis and migraine in children]. 344 4

Hyperthermia was induced in mature rats by immersing them in 20 cm of 45 degrees C water for 4 min. Rats were made hyperthermic once every 4 days for six exposures. A significant number had at least one convulsion by the third exposure. During the seventh exposure, 2 weeks after the sixth exposure, twice as many rats experienced convulsions. Two weeks later, four rats that had convulsed following exposure to heated water at an earlier time convulsed on exposure to a strobe light flashing at 25 Hz. The percentage of rats having experienced at least one convulsion increased dramatically when tested 2 and then an additional 3 months later. Spontaneous (handling-induced) convulsions also occurred in a few rats that had been exposed to heated water previously. The data indicate that repeated exposure to this type of hyperthermia can result in an increase in convulsive susceptibility in mature rats and may be a useful, noninvasive model for studying kindling, febrile convulsions, and epilepsy in rodents.
 ...
PMID:A kindling-like effect induced by repeated exposure to heated water in rats. 672 90

Evidence has recently surfaced in Papua New Guinea that, in the process of expansion of the delivery of health services, there are serious deficits in the quality of rural health care. Improvements are attainable through simple and inexpensive means; the only obstacle is lack of commitment by relevant national and provincial government authorities. There are two prominent studies of interest: 1) a 1988 nationwide survey of quality or rural health services at health centers and subcenters, with by 26 focus groups of community concerns (staff absences, lack of commitment in provision of services, poor and unsympathetic treatment, and referral and death); and 2) a nationwide study of costs of hospital services in 1989. Immunization is dependent on the stock of vaccines, an operational clinics. Obstetric emergencies can be handled only if there is a delivery area, oxytocic drugs available, and suction or other instruments. Treatment of febrile convulsions depends upon a ready supply of quinine, chloramphenicol, and paraldehyde, a clean, well-lit treatment area for performing a lumbar puncture, and a standard treatment manual for gauging proper drug dosage. The first study findings showed that 37% of ward buildings were in need of maintenance and 13% were unsanitary. Only 36% of health centers had running water inside the building year-round. New patients at 24% of health facilities were seen primarily by orderlies or nurses aides. Only 31% had a night duty attendant. 19% did not have oxytocic drugs. 40% of child clinics did not have refrigeration, and only 51% had sufficient vaccines. 29% did not have clinical supervision. 45% could not handle obstetric emergencies. Factors influencing quality were size of center, religious affiliation, and supervision present. Regional variations existed; for instance, there were higher quality centers at island church centers and government health centers in the highlands. Findings from 13 government hospitals showed inadequate management, inadequate support to primary health services, lack of facilities and equipment, and drug shortages. Training and management were considered crucial to improved quality.
 ...
PMID:Quality of health services in Papua New Guinea: what do we know? 815 1

Immaturity in water and electrolyte balance in the brain has been considered to increase the susceptibility of young animals and children to febrile convulsions (FCs). Arginine-vasopressin (AVP) is involved in the regulation of several centrally mediated events such as modulation of fever and the ease with which water permeates into and out of the brain. To evaluate the possible role of AVP in the control of water balance and susceptibility to convulsions during fever we measured the AVP concentration in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma of febrile children with or without convulsions. The febrile population consisted of 47 children, of whom 29 experienced seizures during fever. Seven children with epileptic symptoms and 18 children without seizures were included as nonfebrile controls. The CSF AVP concentration in febrile children without seizures and in nonfebrile convulsive children was significantly lower (0.60 +/- 0.07 pmol/l, mean +/- SEM, P < 0.01 and 0.65 +/- 0.19 pmol/l, P < 0.05, respectively) than in nonfebrile children without convulsions (0.83 +/- 0.06 pmol/l). However, the levels of CSF AVP were not significantly different in children with FCs (0.71 +/- 0.06 pmol/l) compared with other groups. CSF AVP correlated with the CSF osmolality (r = 0.33, P = 0.02). No statistical differences in plasma AVP levels between the groups could be found. The present data provide support for the hypothesis of synchronous regulation of osmolality and AVP concentration in CSF. During fever the concentration of CSF AVP was lower in nonconvulsive children compared with nonfebrile nonconvulsive children. CSF AVP levels were not affected in febrile children by convulsions.
 ...
PMID:Vasopressin in the cerebrospinal fluid of febrile children with or without seizures. 873

Hot water epilepsy is a reflex epilepsy. Seizures are provoked by hot water, and result from the association of both cutaneous and heat stimuli. Described mainly in India and Japan, the condition seems to be rare in Europe, where it occurs in young children. We report five infants aged from 6 months to 2 years. They had brief seizures during bathing with activity arrest, hypotonia, and vasoactive modification; clonic movements were observed. A simple treatment-decreasing the bath temperature-can be sufficient. Sometimes an antiepileptic drug is required. Seizure course and psychomotor development are favorable. Hot water epilepsy is a benign form of epilepsy. Its incidence could be underestimated because of confusion with febrile convulsions, vagal fits, or aquagenic urticaria.
 ...
PMID:Hot water epilepsy: a benign and unrecognized form. 1069 97

Severe myoclonic epilepsy in infants (SME) is one of the most malignant epileptic syndromes recognized in the latest classification of epileptic syndromes. The clinical details and electroencephalographic (EEG) characteristics have been elucidated by Dravet et al. The diagnosis of SME depends largely on the combination of clinical and EEG manifestations at different ages, of which the presence of myoclonic seizures appears to be the most important. However, because of the inclusion of different types of myoclonic attack and the lack of strict criteria for diagnosing SME, there has been some confusion as to whether patients without myoclonic seizures or myoclonus should be classified as SME, despite other identical clinical symptoms (SME borderlands (SMEB) group). Among the various clinical manifestations characterizing SME, special attention has been paid to seizures easily precipitated by fever and hot baths in Japan. We have demonstrated that the onset of myoclonic attack in these patients is very sensitive to the elevation of body temperature itself rather than its etiology. Using simultaneous EEG and rectal temperature monitoring during hot water immersion, we showed that epileptic discharges increased in frequency, and eventually developed into seizures at temperatures over 38 degrees C. We believe that the unique fever sensitivity observed in SME is similar to, but more intense than that of febrile convulsions. We have also identified a group of cases who have had innumerous myoclonic and atypical absence seizures daily which were sensitive to the constant bright light illumination. In these cases, spike discharges increased or decreased depending on the intensity of constant light illumination. Although these cases form the most resistant SME group, they lost the constant light sensitivity with increasing age, leaving only relatively common types of fever-sensitive grand mal seizures (FSGM) at the age of around 5 years. In the long run, only convulsive seizures continue, while myoclonic or absence seizures and photosensitivity disappear with advancing age, thus it is conceivable that SMEB constitutes a basic epileptic condition underlying SME. There is a clinical continuum that extends from the mildest end of SMEB to the severest end of SME with constant light sensitivity, with intermediates of frequent or infrequent myoclonic and absence seizures in-between. This spectrum concept appropriately explains the clinical variabilities between SME and SMEB during early childhood.
 ...
PMID:Severe myoclonic epilepsy in infants--a review based on the Tokyo Women's Medical University series of 84 cases. 1170 Dec 88

The atypical febrile seizure has important clinical implications because of its association with the mesial temporal lobe epilepsy syndrome, which is the most common of the intractable epilepsies. However, whether a causal relation exists between these conditions is currently unknown. We have previously shown that a focal cortical lesion induced in the neonatal rat predisposes to the development of atypical hyperthermic seizures. We show here that 86% of the lesion plus hyperthermia group experience development of spontaneous recurrent seizures recorded from the amygdala ipsilateral to the lesion. Control rats did not have spontaneous recurrent behavioral or electrographic seizures. Lesioned rats with hyperthermic seizures also showed an impaired performance on the Morris water maze when compared with naive control rats, suggesting mild deficits in learning and memory. These findings support a link between the atypical febrile seizure and mesial temporal lobe epilepsy, and at the same time establish a new model for this condition through which new preventative and therapeutic strategies can be tested.
 ...
PMID:Febrile seizures in the predisposed brain: a new model of temporal lobe epilepsy. 1594 Jun 65

Febrile seizures are a common occurrence in young children with incidence rates varying from 3-14%, depending on the geographic region. Studies have suggested that an elevated temperature is a factor in their development, though other factors may synergistically lower the seizure threshold. While it is recognized that excessive or rapid dilute fluid intake can cause seizures in young children, and in adults during strenuous physical activity, less focus has been paid to its involvement during febrile illnesses. Young children are more vulnerable to the development of febrile seizures due to their small skull size relative to brain volume. In animals, reduced serum sodium levels have been shown to lower the threshold to convulsive stimuli, while hypertonic saline has been shown to rapidly reverse these effects. Similarly vasopressin, frequently elevated during acute infections, enhances fluid retention and may also be a precipitating factor for febrile seizures. Although an elevated temperature may augment seizure risk, antipyretics have not been shown to prevent them. In fact, some may increase seizure risk through a reduction in urine output. It has long been observed that fluid retention occurs during febrile infections, followed by diuresis during convalescence. This characteristic observation led to recommendations for restricted fluid intake during acute infections dating back more than 2,000 years. Only recently has there been a return to restricted fluid intake for patients with potentially reduced free water excretion. Further studies are required to determine the role of the overall fluid balance in the etiology of childhood febrile seizures.
 ...
PMID:Febrile seizures in young children: role of fluid intake and conservation. 1776 30

Water supply is a basic public problem. In modern science, three periods with different approaches to define recommended water intake in adults can be distinguished. Pediatricians agree that hydration in children may be optimal only in breastfed infants. More data are required on the health effects of different hydration states and varying water intakes in particular age and gender groups to define optimal ranges of water intake. The fetus grows in an exceptionally well-hydrated environment. Water metabolism shows several peculiarities in preterm and term infants. Infant diarrhea remains a major topic of basic and clinical research. Water intoxication in infants, toddlers, and children is rare and can only be found in exceptional circumstances. Hydration status characterized by hyponatremia may play a role in the pathogenesis of febrile convulsions in toddlers. There is increasing indirect evidence that spontaneous drinking behavior of a population may be fixed and anchored in the age range of toddlers. Sex differences in hydration status are common, but not obligatory. What causes theses differences? What is behind the various circadian rhythms of urine osmolality in children? At what age and in what quantities can alcohol and caffeine consumption be tolerated? How can individual susceptibility be defined? Reflecting on the modern epidemic of obesity in children and adolescents, a public consensus concerning use and misuse of sweetened drinks seems mandatory. Dietary reference intakes of water refer to 24-hour intake. In nutritional counselling, food and meal-based dietary advice is primarily given. Young parents are confronted with a flood of advice of varying quality. Recommendations on fluid consumption should be collated and revised.
 ...
PMID:Hydration in children. 1792 66


1 2 3 Next >>