title: Yield of diagnostic studies in children presenting with complex febrile seizures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to determine the yield of diagnostic workup in children presenting with complex febrile seizures.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a retrospective review of charts of patients who presented to our pediatric emergency department with complex febrile seizures (focal, prolonged, or recurrent). Patients with known seizure disorder, congenital central nervous system malformations, or hydrocephalus were excluded. The charts were reviewed for diagnostic workup.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 71 eligible encounters (mean age, 1.5 years); 59.2% were males. None of the 71 patients had positive blood or urine cultures; none had abnormal blood count or serum chemistries. Only 1 patient who had a very abnormal presentation in febrile status epilepticus had positive cerebrospinal fluid culture and abnormal brain computed tomography scan and magnetic resonance imaging.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most patients with complex febrile seizures do not require extensive diagnostic workup.
authors.affiliation: Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles County-University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA. em_sjmc@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Madhu Dunichand
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Hardasmalani
authors.forename: Mai
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saber
mesh_terms: D001772:Blood Cell Count / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008590:Meningoencephalitis / Q000175:diagnosis; D009177:Mycoplasma pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D003294:Seizures, Febrile / Q000209:etiology*; D013129:Spinal Puncture / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016482:Urinalysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*