title: Assessment of both serum S-100B protein and neuropeptide-Y levels in childhood breath-holding spells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Breath-holding spells are common paroxysmal events in children. Although the spells have a benign prognosis in the long term, they may be complicated by loss of consciousness, tonic-clonic movements, and occasionally seizures. Hence, this study aimed to measure the levels of serum S-100B proteins and neuropeptide-Y in the blood of children who experience breath-holding spells.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study groups consisted of 45 patients (13 females, 32 males) with breath-holding spells and a control group of 32 healthy individuals (12 females, 20 males). The serum S-100B levels were measured using commercially available ELISA kits. The neuropeptide-Y levels in the serum were measured with RayBio® Human/Mouse/Rat Neuropeptide Y ELISA kits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean serum S-100B protein level of the breath-holding spells group was 56.38 ± 13.26 pg/mL, and of the control group, 48.53 ± 16.77 pg/mL. The mean neuropeptide-Y level was 62.29 ± 13.89 pg/mL in the breath-holding spells group and 58.24 ± 12.30 pg/mL in the control group. There were significant differences between the groups with respect to serum S-100B protein levels (p = 0.025), while there was no statistically significant difference in neuropeptide-Y levels between the breath-holding spells group and the control group (p = 0.192).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of this study suggest that frequent and lengthy breath-holding may lead to the development of neuronal metabolic dysfunction or neuronal damage which is most likely related to hypoxia. In light of these findings, future studies should be conducted using biochemical and radiological imaging techniques to support these results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Neurology, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey. Electronic address: m.calik80@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Calik
authors.affiliation: Edessa Private Hospital, Sanliurfa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciftci
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Suna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sarikaya
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ozcan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kocaturk
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mahmut
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abuhandan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry, Turkey.
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taskin
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kandemir
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Yildirim Beyazit University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tahır Kurtulus
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Yoldas
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nurten
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aksoy
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006985:Hyperventilation / Q000175:diagnosis; D000860:Hypoxia; D002534:Hypoxia, Brain / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000097:blood*; D012119:Respiration; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit / Q000097:blood*; D012640:Seizures / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit
keywords: Breath-holding spells; Neuronal damage; Neuropeptide-Y; S-100B protein; Seizure