title: Postnatal Steroids and Febrile Seizure Susceptibility in Preterm Children.
abstract: To investigate risk factors, seizure characteristics, and outcomes of febrile seizure (FS) in children born very preterm.
  
  
  
  This study used a prospective registry data set of 844 preterm infants (birth weight <1500 g and gestational age <32 weeks) admitted to NICUs from 2001 to 2009 in southern Taiwan. We investigated the prevalence, risks, seizure patterns, and outcomes of FS in children aged 5 years.
  
  
  
  Among 575 children (follow-up rate, 85.8%) followed up for 5 years, 35 (6.1%) developed FS. The FS and non-FS groups were comparable regarding their mean gestational age, birth weight, 5-minute Apgar score <6, and prenatal and postnatal complications. No difference was observed in the use of prenatal corticosteroids between the 2 groups. The FS group had a significantly higher rate of postnatal corticosteroid treatment than the non-FS group, even after adjusting for confounding factors (odds ratio, 5.4 [95% confidence interval, 1.9-15.8]; P = .006). No differences were observed in IQs or subsequent epilepsy rates between the 2 groups. Although no difference was observed in the age of FS onset or neurodevelopmental outcomes between the 2 groups, children with FS who received postnatal corticosteroid treatment had a significantly lower mean body temperature during the first FS attack compared with those who did not receive postnatal corticosteroid treatment (38.6 ± 0.4°C vs 39.2 ± 0.6°C; P = .034).
  
  
  
  Children born very preterm have a higher rate of FS, and postnatal corticosteroid treatment was associated with FS susceptibility in these children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Institute of Clinical Medicine, and.
authors.forename: Yi-Fang
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan; and Departments of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, and.
authors.forename: Lan-Wan
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Gerontology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shan-Tair
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, and.
authors.forename: Tsu-Fu
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Departments of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, and Department of Pediatrics, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan huangped@tmu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Chao-Ching
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D004827:Epilepsy; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D008278:Magnesium Sulfate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D003294:Seizures, Febrile / Q000139:chemically induced*
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D008278:Magnesium Sulfate; D007213:Indomethacin