title: The relationship between drug treatment and the clinical characteristics of febrile seizures.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Drugs such as theophylline, antihistamines, and antiallergics with anti-histaminic actions have been shown to induce febrile seizures. The relationship between febrile seizures and medications has not been actively investigated. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between the clinical characteristics of febrile seizures and the use of medications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and sixty-five children treated at our emergency room due to febrile seizures were studied to investigate the relationship between the clinical characteristics of febrile seizures, such as the type and duration of convulsions, and the drug treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The duration of convulsions was longer among children who took theophylline and antihistamines than among children who did not take these medications. Of the antihistamines, mequitazine did not prolong the duration of convulsion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Theophylline should not be used in febrile children, particularly infants. Cautions should be taken in using histamine H1 antagonists in young infants because such drugs could potentially disturb the anticonvulsive central histaminergic system. However, mequitazine appears to be a suitable antihistamine for use in children with febrile seizures, since it does not prolong convulsions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Nihon University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Wakako
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Haruyama
authors.forename: Tatsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fuchigami
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Noguchi
authors.forename: Ayumi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Endo
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Yasuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Inamo
authors.forename: Yukihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mugishima
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000075202:Contraindications; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010640:Phenothiazines; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D003294:Seizures, Febrile / Q000139:chemically induced*; D013806:Theophylline; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists; D010640:Phenothiazines; D013806:Theophylline; C006069:mequitazine