title: Serum zinc levels are low in children with simple febrile seizures compared with those in children with epileptic seizures and controls.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate serum zinc levels in children with simple febrile and epileptic seizures and compare them with controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective, case-control study was conducted between July 2009 and September 2010 in Kanchi Kamakoti CHILDS Trust  Hospital, Chennai. Sixty-seven children (22 with epileptic seizures, 23 with simple febrile seizures and 22 controls) were enrolled. Serum zinc level was estimated using atomic absorption spectrometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean (SD) serum zinc level in children with epileptic seizures, simple  febrile seizures and controls were 969·8 (177·3), 638·1 (206·8) and 939·9 (258·4) ug/L, respectively (p<0·05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum zinc levels are lower in children with febrile seizures than in those with epileptic seizures  and normal children. Zinc supplementation of children at risk of febrile seizures requires further study.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Kanchi Kamakoti CHILDS Trust Hospital and The CHILDS Trust Medical Research Foundation, 12A Nageswara Road, Chennai, India. ganeped79@ rediffmail.com
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Ganesh
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Janakiraman
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Meenakshi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D003294:Seizures, Febrile / Q000473:pathology*; D044967:Serum / Q000737:chemistry; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic / Q000379:methods; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015032:Zinc