TY - JOUR AU - Khan, Manzoor Ali AU - Iqbal, Syed Muhammad Javed AU - Afzal, Muhammad Faheem AU - Sultan, Muhammad Ashraf PY - 2011/09/18 Y2 - 2024/03/29 TI - Frequency of Hypocalcemic Fits in Children Presenting with Afebrile Seizures and Risk Factors for Hypocalcemia – A Descriptive Study JF - Annals of King Edward Medical University JA - Annals KEMU VL - 17 IS - 1 SE - Articles DO - 10.21649/akemu.v17i1.266 UR - https://annalskemu.org/journal/index.php/annals/article/view/266 SP - 31 AB - <p><strong>Background:&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong>Seizures are common in paediatric age group, occurring approximately in 10% of children. Hypocalcemia is one of the most common metabolic causes of afebrile seizures.</p> <p><strong>Objective:&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong>To determine the frequency of hypocal-cemic fits in children presenting with afebrile seizure, from 2 months to 2 years of age and to study the risk factors for hypocalcemia in these patients.</p> <p><strong>Study Design:</strong> &nbsp;Descriptive study.</p> <p><strong>Setting:&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong>Department of Paediatric Medicine Unit-I, Mayo Hospital, Lahore.</p> <p><strong>Duration:</strong> &nbsp;Six months (January to June 2007).</p> <p><strong>Sampling Technique:&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong>Non probability purposive sampling.</p> <strong>Subjects and Methods:&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong>After consent, 60 cases of afebrile convulsions were registered for the study. Dif-ferent variables like age, sex, poor sun exposure, low birth weight, prematurity, milk feeding, weaning, nutritional status, maternal age, parity, child spacing and maternal anemia were recorded.<strong> </strong>Each child was investigated for serum calcium, phosphate, alkaline phosphatase and x-ray left wrist. Information was re-corded on a structured pretested proforma. <p><strong>Results:&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong>Study population consisted of 60 children. Hypocalcemia was observed in 68.3% cases. Most common age group was &lt; 6 months (51.2%). There was male predominance (56%). Common risk factors were poor sun exposure (68.3%), unfortified fresh milk feeding (63.4%), malnutrition (61%), low birth weight (54%), inadequate weaning (36.5%), and pre-maturity (17%) while maternal risk factors were multi-parity (73%), mother age &lt; 30 years (70.7%), anemic mothers (63.4%), and &lt; 2 year child spacing (51.2%).</p> <p><strong>Conclusion:&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong>Hypocalcemia is a common cause of afebrile fits in children. Poor sun exposure, low birth weight, prematurity, malnutrition, maternal anemia and multiparity are major risk factors for hypocal-cemia.</p> <p><strong><em>Key words:</em></strong><em> &nbsp;Hypocalcemia, Seizure, Convulsions, Risk Factors.</em></p> ER -