Risk for developing epilepsy and epileptiform discharges on EEG in patients with febrile seizures

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to investigate the correlation between epileptiform discharges on EEGs after febrile seizures and the prognosis of patients in terms of the development of epilepsy and recurrence of febrile seizures. This study also evaluated the characteristics of epileptiform discharges and EEG changes on follow-up examination. Methods: This study consisted of 36 children who presented to our hospital with febrile seizures and whose electroencephalograms (EEG) showed epileptiform discharges. The development of epilepsy and the recurrence of febrile seizures were compared between the study group (n = 36) and the control group (n = 87), which included children with febrile seizure but with normal EEG findings. Results: No significant correlation was detected between the recurrence rate of febrile seizures in patients with normal EEG (23 out of 87, 26.4%) findings and that of patients whose EEGs showed epileptiform discharges (12 out of 36, 33.3%) [adjusted OR 0.67 (0.26–1.68)]. However, 9 (25.0%) out of 36 patients with epileptiform discharges on EEG had epilepsy compared to 2 patients (2.3%) in the control group. The correlation was statistically significant [crude OR 10.88 (2.47–47.88) and adjusted OR 8.75 (1.49–51.6)]. Conclusion: Epileptiform discharges on the EEGs of patients with febrile seizures are important predictive risk factors of the development of epilepsy.