The Role of Zinc deficiency in predisposition to Febrile Convulsions in Duhok\ Kurdistan-Iraq

Abstract

Febrile convulsions which is a common cause of seizure in young children, generally has an excellent prognosis. It is very well known that Zinc does have neurological functions being a necessary component of many metaloenzymes which play a significant role in central nervous system. The aim of this case-control study is to find out if there is a significant relation between serum Zinc level and febrile convulsions in Kurdish children. In the period from June 2012 and June 2013 and in Heevi Pediatric Teaching Hospital in Duhok, North of Iraq, sixty children with febrile seizure and 70 patients with fever without convulsions who aged between 6 months and 6 years underwent serum Zinc estimation. Data were analysed using SPSS 19 to compare serum zinc level between the both groups. One way ANOVA test was used to measure the association of serum Zinc with age, sex and the source of the febrile illness. The mean serum Zinc level of the children with febrile seizures was 54.03 mcg/dl which was significantly lower than the serum zinc level of the control group (p<0.001). There was no significant relation between the serum zinc level and each of the age, sex and source of febrile illness. Serum zinc level is significantly lower in Kurdish children with febrile convulsions.