Abstract
Background and Objectives: Febrile seizure is the most common seizure disorder occurring in childhood. Simple febrile seizures are brief (<15 minute), generalized and only once during a 24 hour period. Unfortunately in %15-20 of patients recurrence of seizure occurs in the same febrile illness. A case control study was conducted to assess effectiveness and safety of phenobarbital in preventing further seizure in acute phase of same febrile illness.
Materials and Methods: In this Clinical trial, neurologically healthy children with diagnosis of simple febrile convulsion admitted to the division of pediatric neurology in Tabriz children hospital were included in this study.In 100 Children (case group) consecutively phenobarbital was administered intramuscularly at initial dose of 10mg/kg, 12 hours later 5 mg/kg/d orally until the fever had subsided.Control group (100 Children) didn't take phenobarbital.Rate of reccurrence of seizure was compared in two groups.
Results: There was no significant difference in sex, age, history of neonatal admission, family history of febrile seizure and epilepsy between two groups.In control group 15 pateints (15%) had experienced further seizure in acute phase of the same febrile illness, in compare of case group only one patient (1%) had experienced further seizure and this difference was significant(P=0.000). In addition There was no significant side effect of Phenobarbital in case group.
Conclusion: The results indicate that Phenobarbital can prevent further seizure in children, with simple febrile seizure in acute phase of febrile illness.