• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.59 no.2
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• pp.74-79
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• 2016

Purpose: Febrile seizure, the most common type of pediatric convulsive disorder, is a benign seizure syndrome distinct from epilepsy. However, as epilepsy is also common during childhood, we aimed to identify the prognostic factors that can predict epilepsy in children with febrile seizures. Methods: The study comprised 249 children at the Korea University Ansan Hospital who presented with febrile seizures. The relationship between the subsequent occurrence of epilepsy and clinical factors including seizure and fever-related variables were analyzed by multivariate analysis. Results: Twenty-five patients (10.0%) had additional afebrile seizures later and were diagnosed with epilepsy. The subsequent occurrence of epilepsy in patients with a history of febrile seizures was associated with a seizure frequency of more than 10 times during the first 2 years after seizure onset (P<0.001). Factors that were associated with subsequent occurrence of epilepsy were developmental delay (P<0.001), preterm birth (P =0.001), multiple seizures during a febrile seizure attack (P =0.005), and epileptiform discharges on electroencephalography (EEG) (P =0.008). Other factors such as the age at onset of first seizure, seizure duration, and family history of epilepsy were not associated with subsequent occurrence of epilepsy in this study. Conclusion: Febrile seizures are common and mostly benign. However, careful observation is needed, particularly for prediction of subsequent epileptic episodes in patients with frequent febrile seizures with known risk factors, such as developmental delay, history of preterm birth, several attacks during a febrile episode, and epileptiform discharges on EEG.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.195-202
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• 2010

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to determine if there are prognostic factors leading to permanent parenchymal damages to kidney in children after acute pyelonephritis. Methods : This study was conducted in 160 pediatric patients with acute pyelonephritis admitted to Ajou University Hospital from 2000 to 2005, whose renal cortical defects were confirmed by $^{99m}Tc$-dimercaptosuccinic acid scintigraphy (DMSA scan). Along with the follow-up DMSA scan after 6 months, they were classified into two groups; recovered group (106) and scarred group (54). The clinical characteristics of each group were compared. Results : Among the total of 160 patients, 106 (66.3%) showed recovery of the initial defect (the recovered group), while 54 (33.8%) showed permanent defects on the followup DMSA scan (scarred group). Recovery rate was poor for patients of 1 year and older, or patients with the duration of fever and pyuria longer than 7 days. The recovery rate was poor in the patients with history of frequent febrile episodes and abnormal results of imaging studies, such as voiding cystourethrography (VCUG), ultrasonography. Conclusion : The recovery rate of children with renal defects on DMSA scan with acute pyelonephritis was lower when the patient is older than 1 year, when the duration of fever and pyuria exceeded 7 days, and when the patients had the histories of frequent febrile episodes and had urinary tract abnormalities on imaging studies. These findings suggest that there may be under- or mis-diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis by pediatrician.