title: Benign convulsions associated with mild gastroenteritis: a multicenter clinical study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the clinical characteristics and the outcome of benign convulsions associated with mild gastroenteritis (CwG) in Italian children.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied clinical and EEG features of 128 children with CwG who were hospitalized between January 2004 and February 2008 and then followed for at least 12 months in 14 Italian centers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Age at onset ranged from 6 to 60 months. The seizures were generalized in 73 cases (57%), only focal in 16 (12.5%), and secondarily generalized in 39 (30.5%). The duration of the seizures was under 5 min in 97 patients (75.8%), between 5 and 30 min in 26 (20.3%), and longer than 30 min in 5 (3.9%). Seventy-three participants (57%) had 2 or more seizures, which recurred within 24-48 h. In the acute phase, antiepileptic drugs were used in 72 patients (56.3%). Although interictal abnormalities were present in EEG of 28 children (21.9%), these reverted to normal. During the follow up period, only 6 patients (4.7%) suffered from recurrence of CwG, 7 (5.5%) suffered from simple febrile seizures, and 3 (2.3%) developed epilepsy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recognition of CwG in children allows pediatricians to avoid extensive evaluations and continuous antiepileptic therapy and to reassure parents regarding the lack of long-term complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Chieti, Chieti, Italy. averrott@unich.it
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verrotti
authors.forename: Giuliana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nanni
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Agostinelli
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Parisi
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Capovilla
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Beccaria
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Iannetti
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spalice
authors.forename: Giangennaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Coppola
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Franzoni
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gentile
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Casellato
authors.forename: Pierangelo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Veggiotti
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Malgesini
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Crichiutti
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Balestri
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grosso
authors.forename: Nelia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zamponi
authors.forename: Gemma
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Incorpora
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Savasta
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pruna
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chiarelli
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000150:complications*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012640:Seizures / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014883:Water-Electrolyte Imbalance / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology; D014888:Wechsler Scales
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants