title: Melatonin's Effect in Febrile Seizures and Epilepsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recognition of risk factors for febrile seizures (FS) and epilepsy is essential. Studies regarding the role of melatonin in these convulsive disorders are limited. This study determines the relationship between serum melatonin levels and FS and epilepsy in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A population of 111 children with simple FS, complex FS, and epilepsy (37 children per group, respectively) were included as case groups. In addition, 37 febrile children without seizures comprised the control group. Serum melatonin levels were measured and compared between all groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The serum melatonin levels in the simple, complex FSs, and epilepsy groups were 2, 2.4, and 2 pg/ml, respectively. The serum melatonin level in the control group was 2.1pg/ml. Moreover, there were no significant differences observed while comparing the case groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study reveals that there is no association between serum melatonin level and simple or complex FS and epilepsy. It appears that melatonin plays no significant role in these convulsive disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.
authors.forename: Abolfazl
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mahyar
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.
authors.forename: Parviz
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ayazi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Mofid Children's Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dalirani
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.
authors.forename: Nargess
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gholami
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Mahdi
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Daneshikohan
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Navid
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mohammadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Hossein
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ahmadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmad Ali
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Sahmani
keywords: Complex febrile seizures; Epilepsy; Melatonin; Simple febrile seizures