Plasma Interleukin-1β Levels in Children With Febrile Seizures

Abstract

Proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines regulate the febrile response during infection. In this study, the role of cytokines in the pathogenesis of febrile seizures was investigated, through comparing levels of interleukin-1β in the peripheral blood of children with febrile seizures and in a matched control group of children with febrile illnesses without seizures. The study included 33 children with febrile seizures (mean ± SD, 29.94 ± 14.9 months) and 38 controls with comparable age, sex, and type of infection. A laboratory workup for the diagnosis of infection was performed, and interleukin-1β levels were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the patients and the control groups immediately on arrival at the hospital. The plasma levels of interleukin-1β were comparable in the patients and the control group (mean ± SD, 7.321 ± 3.123 and 8.087 ± 4.8 pg/mL, respectively). Furthermore, there was no significant difference when comparing the plasma levels of interleukin-1β in patients with simple and complex types of febrile seizures. Plasma interleukin-1β levels did not show a significant correlation to either the duration of the last seizure, the number of the previous attacks of febrile convulsion, or the degree of temperature. However, interleukin-1β levels were negatively correlated to the duration from the last seizure attack (r = −.8). Thus, the results of the present study do not support the hypothesis that increased production of interleukin-1β is involved in the pathogenesis of febrile seizures in children.