Studies on cerebrospinal fluid ionized calcium and magnesium concentrations in convulsive children.
BACKGROUND
The concentrations of ionized calcium (iCa) and ionized magnesium (iMg) were measured in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of convulsive and non-convulsive children, to investigate the relationship between seizure manifestation and CSF iCa and iMg concentrations. Standard concentrations of CSF iCa and iMg were also established.


METHODS
CSF samples from 23 patients, ages 0-15 years, with various forms of seizures and 26 age-matched non-convulsive children were collected by lumbar puncture. CSF was obtained anaerobically and the concentrations of CSF iCa and iMg were measured with an electolyte analyzer (Stat Profile Ultra M1, NOVA, USA) immediately after the lumbar puncture.


RESULTS
The concentrations of CSF iCa were significantly higher in non-convulsive children younger than 11 months old compared with children older than 12 months. The concentrations of CSF iMg in non-convulsive children did not differ significantly with aging. The concentrations of CSF iCa in convulsive children did not differ significantly from the concentrations of non-convulsive children. The concentrations of CSF iMg in convulsive children were significantly lower than in non-convulsive children.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that seizure manifestation is related to age-dependent changes in iCa and decreased iMg in the developing brain.
Department of Pediatrics, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kawasaki, Japan. yusaku@marianna-u.ac.jp
Yusaku
Y
Miyamoto
Hitoshi
H
Yamamoto
Hiroshi
H
Murakami
Noriko
N
Kamiyama
Miho
M
Fukuda
D000293:Adolescent; D002118:Calcium / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008274:Magnesium / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000378:metabolism; D012640:Seizures / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
D008274:Magnesium; D002118:Calcium