Dose – Response relationship between plasma ferritin levels or the proportion of patients with iron deficiency and the number of seizures a child had during the acute illness.

<p>*Test for linear trend; z = 1.46 and p = 0.143.</p><p>**Test for linear trend; z = 0.75 and p = 0.455.</p

Studies of iron deficiency and seizures in children.

<p>Abbreviations: CRP = C-reactive protein, Hb = Hemoglobin = HCT, hematocrit, ID = iron deficiency, MCV = mean cell volume, RBC = red blood cells, RDW = red blood cell distribution width, SD = standard deviation and TIBC = total iron binding capacity.</p

Characteristics of cases and controls on admission to hospital.

<p>*Using the 1978 World Health Organization standards.</p

Iron deficiency and the number, type, duration and outcome of acute seizures in cases.

<p>*Seizure manifestation described by parent.</p>†<p>Using chi square test for trend.</p>‡<p>BCS = Blantyre Coma Score (Score 0–2 = coma, 3–4 impaired consciousness, 5 = full consciousness).</p

Study selection for the meta-analysis.

<p>Figure 1 is a flow diagram that shows the selection of studies for the meta-analysis investigating the association between iron deficiency and acute seizures in children.</p

Iron deficiency, α-thalassemia genotypes and acute seizures.

<p>*Microcytosis is defined as age-corrected normal values (MCV<70 fl/µl in children <2 years, <73 fl/µl in children 2–4 years, <75 fl/µl in children 5–7 years and <76 fl/µl in children ≥8 years).</p>†<p>In patients with malaria, iron deficiency was defined as plasma ferritin<30µg/ml if CRP<50mg/ml or as ferritin<273µg/ml if CRP≥50mg/ml and in those without malaria, it was defined as plasma ferritin<12µg/ml if CRP<10mg/ml or as ferritin<30µg/ml if CRP≥10mg/ml.</p>‡<p>Iron deficiency and hemoglobin <11g/dl.</p>§<p>Chi square test for trend.</p