Antioxidant enzyme levels and lipid peroxidation in children with febrile convulsion

The most common reason of convulsions is the febrile convulsion in children between 6 months and 5 years of age. Recent studies have revealed that oxidative injury, alterations in antioxidant enzymes and consequent increased lipid peroxidation may play a role in the pathogenesis of neurologic diseases. In our study, we investigated the levels of erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malonildialdehite (MDA), a product of lipid peroxidation, in children with febrile convulsion. Thirty one patients with febrile convulsion were evaluated. Thirty patients with fever but without convulsion constituted the control group. There was no significant difference between the two groups in respect to sex and age. There was a significant difference between the study and control groups in respect to mean GSH-Px levels (p=0.001). The level of GSHPx was higher in febrile convulsion group. There was a significant difference between the two groups in respect to mean erythrocyte SOD values (p=0,045). Mean SOD values were higher in the control group. There was a significant difference between the two groups in respect to mean erythrocyte MDA values (p=0,01). Mean MDA values were higher in the febrile group in comparison to the control group. As a result, the increase of MDA levels, which is an end-product of lipid peroxidation, may be considered as a marker of oxidative injury in cases with febrile convulsion. Similarly, the increase of erythrocyte GSH-Px levels and the decrease of erythrocyte SOD levels may imply activation of antioxidant defense mechanisms against the increased oxidative injury. The imbalance between the oxidant and antioxidant events may play a role in the patophysiology of probable epilepsy and hypocampal sclerosis in cases with febrile convulsion. More studies are needed to prove these hypothesis