Evaluation of selenium levels and mean platelet volume in patients with simple febrile convulsion.

OBJECTIVE:This study aimed to evaluate serum selenium levels and mean platelet volume in children who experience simple febrile convulsion. METHODS:The study comprised 42 patients diagnosed with simple febrile convulsions and a control group of 30 healthy children. Blood samples were taken following a febrile convulsion. Selenium levels in the serum of both the patients and control subjects were measured with the hydride formation method on an atomic absorption spectrometry device and mean platelet volume was evaluated. FINDINGS:When the mean values of the febrile convulsion patients were compared with those of the control group, the mean selenium levels and thrombocyte count were found to be statistically significantly low (P=0.002, P=0.01 respectively) and the mean platelet volume values were statistically significantly high (P=0.002). CONCLUSION:While low serum selenium levels cause the onset of a febrile seizure in patients with simple febrile convulsion, it is thought that the increased mean platelet volume shows infection activity causing febrile convulsion.