Affiliations: Department of Pediatrics, Mariere Memorial Central
Hospital Ughelli, Delta State, Nigeria | Department of Pediatrics, University of Benin Teaching
Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria
Note: [] Correspondence: Matthias M. Okposio MB, BS, FWACP (Paed),
Department of Pediatrics, Mariere Memorial Central Hospital Ughelli, Delta
State, Nigeria. Tel.: +2348034042120; E-mail: mattokmatok@yahoo.com
Abstract: Febrile convulsion is one of the most common childhood neurological
disorders. The underlying mechanism remains unclear; however, some reports have
suggested that low serum zinc levels may be implicated in its pathogenesis.
This case-control study was carried out to determine the serum zinc levels in
Nigerian children with febrile convulsions in comparison with matched febrile
controls without convulsions. Ninety children with febrile convulsions and 90
matched febrile children without convulsions were recruited. Serum zinc was
measured using Atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Perkin-Elmer 306 USA). The
data was analyzed with SPSS version 16 statistical package and student t-test
was employed to compare mean serum zinc between the two groups. The mean serum
zinc level of children with febrile convulsion (58.7 ± 25.4 μg/dL)
was significantly lower than that of febrile controls (90.3 ± 33.0
μg/dL), (P < 0.0001). Hypozincemia may indeed play a role in the
occurrence of febrile convulsion.
Keywords: Zinc, febrile convulsion, Nigerian, children
