Kirstine J Christensen1,2, Julie W Dreier1, Line Skotte3, Bjarke Feenstra3, Jakob Grove4, Anders Børglum4, Mitja Mitrovic5, Chris Cotsapas5, Jakob Christensen1,2. 1. Department of Economics and Business Economics, National Centre for Register-Based Research, Aarhus BSS, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark. 2. Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark. 3. Department of Epidemiology Research, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark. 4. Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark. 5. Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Febrile seizure is a common childhood disorder that affects 2-5% of all children, and is associated with later development of epilepsy and psychiatric disorders. This study determines how the incidence of febrile seizures correlates with birth characteristics, age, sex and brain development. METHODS: This is a cohort study of all children born Denmark between 1977 and 2011 who were alive at 3 months of age (N = 2,103,232). The Danish National Patient Register was used to identify children with febrile seizures up to 5 years of age. Follow-up ended on 31 December 2016 when all cohort members had potentially reached 5 years of age. RESULTS: In total, 75,593 (3.59%, 95% CI: 3.57-3.62%) were diagnosed with febrile seizures. Incidence peaked at 16.7 months of age (median: 16.7 months, interquartile range: 12.5-24.0). The 5-year cumulative incidence of febrile seizures increased with decreasing birth weight (<1500 g; 5.42% (95% CI: 4.98-5.88% vs. 3,000-4,000 g; 3.53% (95% CI: 3.50-3.56%)) and with decreasing gestational age at birth (31-32 weeks; 5.90% (95% CI: 5.40-6.44%) vs. 39-40 weeks; 3.56% (95% CI: 3.53-3.60)). Lower gestational age at birth was associated with higher age at onset of a first febrile seizure; an association that essentially disappeared when correcting for age from conception. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of febrile seizures increased with decreasing birth weight and gestational age at birth. The association between low gestational age at birth and age at first febrile seizure suggests that onset of febrile seizures is associated with the stage of brain development.
OBJECTIVE: Febrile seizure is a common childhood disorder that affects 2-5% of all children, and is associated with later development of epilepsy and psychiatric disorders. This study determines how the incidence of febrile seizures correlates with birth characteristics, age, sex and brain development. METHODS: This is a cohort study of all children born Denmark between 1977 and 2011 who were alive at 3 months of age (N = 2,103,232). The Danish National Patient Register was used to identify children with febrile seizures up to 5 years of age. Follow-up ended on 31 December 2016 when all cohort members had potentially reached 5 years of age. RESULTS: In total, 75,593 (3.59%, 95% CI: 3.57-3.62%) were diagnosed with febrile seizures. Incidence peaked at 16.7 months of age (median: 16.7 months, interquartile range: 12.5-24.0). The 5-year cumulative incidence of febrile seizures increased with decreasing birth weight (<1500 g; 5.42% (95% CI: 4.98-5.88% vs. 3,000-4,000 g; 3.53% (95% CI: 3.50-3.56%)) and with decreasing gestational age at birth (31-32 weeks; 5.90% (95% CI: 5.40-6.44%) vs. 39-40 weeks; 3.56% (95% CI: 3.53-3.60)). Lower gestational age at birth was associated with higher age at onset of a first febrile seizure; an association that essentially disappeared when correcting for age from conception. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of febrile seizures increased with decreasing birth weight and gestational age at birth. The association between low gestational age at birth and age at first febrile seizure suggests that onset of febrile seizures is associated with the stage of brain development.
Authors: Jakob Christensen; Mogens Vestergaard; Marianne G Pedersen; Carsten B Pedersen; Jørn Olsen; Per Sidenius Journal: Epilepsy Res Date: 2007-08-07 Impact factor: 3.045
Authors: Morten Schmidt; Sigrun Alba Johannesdottir Schmidt; Jakob Lynge Sandegaard; Vera Ehrenstein; Lars Pedersen; Henrik Toft Sørensen Journal: Clin Epidemiol Date: 2015-11-17 Impact factor: 4.790
Authors: Kirstine Juul Christensen; Julie W Dreier; Line Skotte; Bjarke Feenstra; Jakob Grove; Anders D Børglum; Mitja Mitrovic; Chris Cotsapas; Jakob Christensen Journal: Neuroepidemiology Date: 2022-01-20 Impact factor: 5.393