IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS WITH FEBRILE SEIZURES: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Introduction: Febrile seizures are a common neurological concern in children. Their recurrent nature highlights the importance of identifying predisposing factors and addressing them appropriately.Objective: Evaluate the frequency and correlates IDA in pediatric patients with febrile seizures.Methodology: This study employed a cross-sectional design and was conducted at the pediatric unit MMC from July 2019 to Jan 2020. The study population consisted of 135 patients diagnosed with febrile seizures, aged between 6 months to 5 years. Patients with underlying medical conditions such as meningitis, past history of febrile fits, patients with delayed milestones and past history of blood transfusion were not included in the study. The data was collected from the guardians and laboratory investigation sent from all patients that include CBC, Serum ferritin, Serum TIBC. The independent t Test was applied to compare the blood indices of patients with and with iron deficiency anemia. Chi square test was used to assess the association between categorical variables.Results: The mean age of the patients was 10.49 ±1.95. the gender distribution was 103(54%) males, and 86(45.5%) females. The mean value for Hemoglobin was 10.49 ±1.95. Mean MCV was 67.9±7.1, Mean MCHC 30.6±1.9, Mean serum Iron was 37.97± 29.1, Mean TIBC was 351±47.0, mean serum ferritin was 67± 41.2. Iron deficiency anemia was found in 43.9% of patients with febrile seizures.Conclusion: The current study revealed a significant prevalence of iron deficiency anemia in children with febrile seizures. This finding highlights the importance of considering iron deficiency anemia as a potential comorbidity in pediatric patients with febrile seizures.