title: Seizures and encephalopathy as the presenting sign of viral gastroenteritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the incidence, nature, and outcome of encephalopathy associated with viral gastroenteritis in hospitalized children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective chart review of all children during a 4-year period with viral gastroenteritis identified by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification/International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-9-CM/ICD-10) codes. Children with encephalopathy were defined as cases; the remainder served as controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirteen (7.2%) of 181 children presented with encephalopathy (typical febrile seizures, 4; atypical febrile seizures, 4; afebrile seizures, 3; with alteration in level of consciousness alone, 2). Between cases and controls, the mean age (17.4 vs. 14.9 months, respectively) and temperature (38.4 degrees C vs. 38.5 degrees C, respectively) were not significantly different (mean age, P = 0.52; temperature, P = 0.61). The mean length of hospital stay was longer in children with encephalopathy (7 vs. 4.3 days; P = 0.03). All children recovered without sequelae.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Encephalopathy, including afebrile seizures and nonconvulsive encephalopathy, is a relatively common presenting sign of acute viral gastrointestinal tract infection in hospitalized children, has a good outcome, but is associated with increased diagnostic testing and length of stay.
authors.affiliation: The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. michael.weinstein@sickkids.ca
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weinstein
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012640:Seizures / Q000821:virology*