Pattern of Pediatric Seizures at Al-Arish Central Hospital - North Sinai

Abstract

Background: Seizures represent a prevalent etiology for pediatric hospitalization, resulting in notable morbidity and mortality. Seizures are temporary manifestations arising from an atypical, heightened, or synchronized neural activity within the cerebral cortex. Approximately 2% of emergency department visits are attributed to them. Aim of the Study : This study was to delineate the seizure presentation among patients admitted to the Pediatric department at Al-Arish Central Hospital in North Sinai and to contrast the findings with those of comparable studies conducted nationally and internationally. Furthermore, it provides descriptive information essential for planning future research. Patients and Methods: The present study comprised a cohort of 125 pediatric patients diagnosed with seizures who were admitted to the Pediatric department at Al-Arish Central Hospital in North Sinai for one year, from June 2019 to May 2020. The age range of the individuals was from two months to eighteen years. Results: The etiological analysis conducted indicated that epilepsy was the most prevalent cause of seizures in children, accounting for 45 cases (36.0%). Febrile convulsion was identified as the second most common cause, with 39 cases (31.2%) observed. Valproic acid (62.5%) and Levetiracetam (45.0%) were the prevalent antiepileptic drugs employed. Conclusions: Seizure is a prevalent reason for hospitalization among children, particularly those under the age of five, at the pediatric department of Al Arish Central Hospital in North Sinai. Generalized tonic-clonic seizures are more frequent and have diverse etiologies. Epilepsy was identified as the predominant etiology for seizures, with febrile seizures following as the subsequent cause. The most prevalent types of symptomatic seizures associated with infectious causes of the central nervous system were those attributed to viral encephalitis.