title: Evaluation of Plasma Melatonin Levels in Children With Afebrile and Febrile Seizures.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Melatonin modulates central nervous system neuronal activity. We compared the melatonin levels of patients with febrile and afebrile seizures during and after seizure with those of healthy controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 59 individuals with afebrile and febrile seizures (mean age, 6.09 ± 4.46 years) and 28 age-, sex-, and weight-matched healthy children. Melatonin levels were measured near the time of a seizure (0 to 1 hour) and at 12 and 24 hours post-seizure, and control melatonin levels were measured from a single venous blood sample.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma melatonin levels increased during seizures in the study group (P < 0.001). Post-seizure plasma melatonin levels were significantly lower in the study group than in the control group (P < 0.05). Plasma melatonin levels did not differ between patients with afebrile seizures who had and had not used antiepileptic drugs. Daytime (8 AM to 8 PM) and nighttime (8 PM to 8 AM) post-seizure melatonin levels were not significantly different.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Melatonin levels were lower in pediatric patients prone to seizures than in healthy children and increased during seizures. Further research is needed to test the role of melatonin in the pathophysiology and treatment of epilepsy.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Etimesgut Military Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Orçun
authors: O
authors: Dabak
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Ufuk University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address: demet.altun@ufuk.edu.tr.
authors: Demet
authors: D
authors: Altun
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Gülhane Military Medical Academy and Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Mutluay
authors: M
authors: Arslan
authors: Department of Biochemistry, Gülhane Military Medical Academy and Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Halil
authors: H
authors: Yaman
authors: Department of Pediatric Neurology, Gülhane Military Medical Academy and Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Sabahattin
authors: S
authors: Vurucu
authors: Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Gülhane Military Medical Academy and Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Ediz
authors: E
authors: Yesilkaya
authors: Department of Pediatric Neurology, Gülhane Military Medical Academy and Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Bulent
authors: B
authors: Unay
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000097:blood*; D012640:Seizures / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D008550:Melatonin
keywords: antiepileptic; epilepsy; febrile seizure; melatonin