Cardiac troponin I (CTnI) level among children with epileptic seizures

Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder in pediatric age characterized by recurrent, unprovoked seizures; these seizures are transient signs of abnormal excessive or hyper synchronous neuronal activity in the brain. Complicated epilepsy is associated with high seizure frequency, prolonged seizures and may lead to some sort of cardiac ischemia, myocardial injury and elevated serum CTnI.AimA possible importance of Cardiac troponin I (CTnI) level in epileptic children.Patients and methodsThe study was carried out upon 90 children, classified into three groups: Group I: 30 with uncomplicated epilepsy. Group II: 30 with complicated epilepsy. Group III (control): 30 apparently clinically healthy children with similar age and sex. All groups were subjected to the following: full history taking – thorough clinical examination – EEG – assessment of serum cardiac troponin I- and CT only for groups I and II.ResultsOur research revealed a significant statistical increase in the cardiac troponin level (CTnI) maximum in group II followed by group I then lastly group III and revealed a direct correlation between cardiac troponin I and presence of prenatal problem, mental retardation, EEG abnormality and abnormal C T or MRI. There was an indirect correlation between cardiac troponin I and age of seizure onset. Also there was one between cardiac troponin I and etiology of epilepsy.ConclusionCardiac troponin I is a perfect tool for early detection of cases with myocardial dysfunction in epileptic patients – cardiac troponin I is significantly increased in children with epilepsy especially the complicated epilepsy. Cardiac injury in epileptic children is more common in patients with early onset epilepsy, positive prenatal problem, idiopathic epilepsy, abnormal imaging and EEG – elevated TnI levels may be of value in assessing the severity and eventual outcome and mortality risk of the disease in children with epilepsy.