title: Validity of parentally reported febrile seizures: the generation R study.
abstract: The objective of this study was to examine the validity of the diagnosis of "febrile seizure" as reported by parents. The study was embedded in a population-based prospective cohort study. Information on paroxysmal events was obtained by screening questions at ages 1, 2, and 3 years. One of these questions was the following: "Did your child have a febrile seizure?" If a screen-positive result was found, an additional questionnaire was sent and the medical record was consulted. Based on this information, paroxysmal events were classified by a pediatric neurologist as febrile seizure or other event. The validity of a positive reply to the screening question on febrile seizures was assessed, taking this classification as reference standard. Analyses were based on participants who reported at least one paroxysmal event (n = 610). The sensitivity of the positive reply to the question, "Did your child have a febrile seizure?", for the diagnosis of febrile seizures was 92%, the specificity 72%, the positive predictive value 41%, and the negative predictive value 98%. In conclusion, the sensitivity of the question, "Did your child have a febrile seizure?", is high. The positive predictive value is only 41%. Although this question may be appropriate as a screening instrument for febrile seizures, a second stage of evaluation is necessary to identify true cases.
authors.affiliation: The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. a.m.visser@erasmusmc.nl
authors.forename: Annemarie M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Visser
authors.forename: Vincent W V
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Jaddoe
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hofman
authors.forename: Henriette A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Moll
authors.forename: Willem Frans M
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Arts
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018672:Community Health Planning; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D003294:Seizures, Febrile / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler