Risk of recurrent seizures after a primary human herpesvirus 6-induced febrile seizure

• Published in: The Pediatric infectious disease journal Vol. 17; no. 1; pp. 43 - 48
• Main Authors: JEE, SANDRA H, LONG, CHRISTINE E, SCHNABEL, KENNETH C, SEHGAL, NEERU, EPSTEIN, LEON G, HALL, CAROLINE BREESE
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Baltimore, MD Williams & Wilkins 01-01-1998; Philadelphia, PA Lippincott; Hagerstown, MD
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Child, Preschool; Herpesviridae Infections - complications; Herpesvirus 6, Human; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infant; Infectious diseases; Medical sciences; Prospective Studies; Recurrence; Risk; Seizures - etiology; Seizures, Febrile - etiology; Tropical viral diseases; Viral diseases; Human; Infection; Virus; Herpesvirus hominis 6; Relapse; Herpesviridae; Viral disease; Risk factor; Complication; Neurological disorder; Febrile convulsion; Child
• ISSN: 0891-3668; 1532-0987
• DOI: 10.1097/00006454-199801000-00010

OBJECTIVE.To test the hypothesis that children experiencing first febrile seizures caused by human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) have an increased risk for recurrent seizures when compared with children experiencing first febrile seizures attributed to other illnesses.
DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS.Descriptive prospective study of 36 HHV-6 culture-positive children and a matched subgroup of 86 HHV-6 culture-negative children, all of whom had their first febrile seizures evaluated in a tertiary care emergency department and were followed for at least 12 months, with an average follow-up of 35.7 months.
PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE.The recurrence of seizures among HHV-6 culture-positive and HHV-6 culture-negative children with no known previous neurologic deficits.
RESULTS.A decreased incidence of recurrent seizures occurred in children whose first febrile seizures were caused by HHV-6. Twenty percent of HHV-6 culture-positive children and 40% of HHV-6 culture-negative children (P < 0.038) experienced a recurrent seizure within 1 year of their first febrile seizure. The mean time to recurrence within 12 months was 8.6 months for children with HHV-6 infection and 3.8 months (P < 0.001) for children without HHV-6 infection. Most recurrent seizures occurred within 12 months of a first febrile seizure for both HHV-6-positive and HHV-6-negative children (88 and 91%).
CONCLUSIONS.Children who had their first febrile seizures caused by primary HHV-6 infection did not demonstrate an increased risk for recurrent seizures when compared with children whose first febrile seizures were from other etiologies.