Melatonin’s Effect in Febrile Seizures and Epilepsy

How to Cite This Article: Mahyar A, Ayazi P, Dalirani R, Gholami N, Daneshi-Kohan MM, Mohammadi N, Ahmadi MM, Sahmani AA. Melatonin’s Effect in Febrile Seizures and Epilepsy Iran J Child Neurol. 2014 Summer;8(3): 24-29. AbstractObjectiveRecognition 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.Materials & MethodsA 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.ResultsThe 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.ConclusionThe 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. ReferencesBanerjee TK, Hazra A, Biswas A, Ray Jet al. Neurological disorders in children and adolescents. Indian J Pediatr2009; 76:139-46.Salehi Omran MR, Khalilian E, Mehdipour E, Ghabeli JA. Febrile seizures in North Iranian children: Epidemiology and clinical feature, Journal of Pediatric Neurology2008, 6: 39-43.Shinnar S, O’Dell C. Febrile Seizures, Pediatr Ann 2004, 33: 394-402.Millar JS. The child with febrile seizure, Pediatrics for parents 2006.24:12-14.Fetvei A. Assessment of febrile seizures in children, Eur J Pediatr2008, 167:17-27.Mikati MA. 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Are Serum Procalcitonin and Interleukin-1 Beta Suitable Markers for Diagnosis of Acute Pyelonephritis in Children?

Rapid diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis is important because of its association with long-standing complications. This study was conducted to compare the reliability of serum procalcitonin (PCT) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) with conventional laboratory parameters for diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis in children. Seventy nine children with urinary tract infection were divided into two groups based on the result of Tc-99m dimercaptosuccinic acid renal scan: acute pyelonephritis (n=33) and lower UTI (urinary tract infection) (n=46) groups. White blood cell (WBC) count, neutrophil count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), serum C-reactive protein (CRP), PCT and IL-1β concentrations of both groups were measured and compared. WBC count, neutrophil count, ESR, serum CRP, PCT and IL-1β concentrations were higher in acute pyelonephritis patients than in the lower UTI group (P<0.05). The sensitivity and specificity of serum PCT and IL-1β for diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis were 31, 84.7% and 27.2, 90% respectively (using a cut-point value of 0.5 ng/ml for PCT and 6.9 pg/ml for IL-1β). The sensitivity of PCT and IL-1β for diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis was less than that of conventional markers such as ESR and CRP. This study revealed that serum PCT and IL-1β are not good biologic markers for differentiating acute pyelonephritis from lower UTI. It seems that conventional inflammatory markers such as ESR and CRP besides the clinical findings are more reliable for the diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis in children

Role of leptin in febrile urinary tract infection

Background: Leptin is a hormone that plays an important role in human health against infections. Some studies have reported that leptin acts as a reactant phase marker in some infectious diseases. The role of leptin in febrile urinary tract infection (UTI) has not been adequately evaluated. Objectives: This study was conducted to determine the role of serum leptin in febrile UTI in children. Methods: Thirty-nine febrile UTI patients were compared with 40 healthy children for the serum leptin level. Serum leptin was measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. The results were compared between the groups. Results: Median (IQR) of serum leptin in the case and control groups was 2 ng/mL and 0.6 ng/mL, respectively. A significant difference was observed between the groups in the serum leptin level (P = 0.001). No significant difference was observed between cystitis and acute pyelonephritis patients in the serum leptin level. The correlation analysis showed no significant association between the serum leptin level and acute-phase reactant markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (r = -0.13 and P = 0.41; r = -0.15 and P = 0.36, respectively). Conclusions: The present study showed that although serum leptin increases in febrile UTI, this increase is not correlated with Creactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Also, this marker cannot discriminate between cystitis and acute pyelonephritis

Serum interleukin -8 is not a reliable marker for prediction of vesicoureteral reflux in children with febrile urinary tract infection

Objective: In view of the side effects of voiding cystourethrography (VCUG), identification of noninvasive markers predicting the presence of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is important. This study was conducted to determine the predictive value of serum interleukin-8 (IL-8) in diagnosis of VUR in children with first febrile urinary tract infection (UTI). Materials and Methods: Eighty children with first febrile UTI were divided into two groups, with and without VUR, based on the results of VCUG. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value positive and negative likelihood ratio, and accuracy of IL-8 for prediction of VUR were investigated. Results: Of the 80 children with febrile UTI, 30 (37.5%) had VUR. There was no significant difference between the children with and without VUR and also between low and high-grade VUR groups in terms of serum concentration of IL-8 (P>0.05). Based on ROC curve, the sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratio positive, and accuracy of serum IL-8 was lower than those of erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed significant positive correlation only between erythrocyte sedimentation rate and VUR. Conclusions: This study showed no significant difference between the children with and without VUR in terms of the serum concentration of IL-8. Therefore, it seems that serum IL-8 is not a reliable marker for prediction of VUR