title: Intermittent diazepam and continuous phenobarbital to treat recurrence of febrile seizures: a systematic review with meta-analysis.
abstract: Convulsions triggered by fever are the most common type of seizures in childhood, and 20% to 30% of them have recurrence. The prophylactic treatment is still controversial, so we performed a systematic review to find out the effectiveness of continuous phenobarbital and intermittent diazepam compared to placebo for febrile seizure recurrence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Only randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials were analyzed. The recurrence of febrile seizure was assessed for each drug.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten eligible clinical trials were included. Febrile seizure recurrence was smaller in children treated with diazepam or phenobarbital than in placebo group. Prophylaxis with either phenobarbital or diazepam reduces recurrences of febrile seizures. The studies were clinical, methodological, and statistically heterogeneous.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effectiveness of phenobarbital and diazepam could not be demonstrated because clinical trials were heterogeneous, and the recommendation for treatment recurrence should rely upon the experience of the assistant physician yet.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Federal University of São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alice Hatsue
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Masuko
authors.forename: Aldemar Araujo
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.forename: Gustavo Rocha
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Alvaro Nagib
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Atallah
authors.forename: Lucila Bizari Fernandes
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: do Prado
authors.forename: Luciane Bizari Coin
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: de Carvalho
authors.forename: Gilmar Fernandes
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: do Prado
mesh_terms: D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003975:Diazepam / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010634:Phenobarbital / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010919:Placebos; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D003294:Seizures, Febrile / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D010919:Placebos; D003975:Diazepam; D010634:Phenobarbital