Benign infantile convulsions with mild gastroenteritis: clinical analysis and long-term follow-up research of 111 cases

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and long-term prognosis of benign infantile convulsions associated with mild gastroenteritis (BICE). Methods One hundred and eleven children with BICE in our hospital from July, 2013 to July, 2015 were enrolled. According to the frequency of convulsions, the patients were divided into single group (n=56, convulsion once), and multiple group(n=55, convulsions ≥ 2 times). According to convulsion duration, the patients were divided into short-term group (n=81, convulsions duration <5 minutes), and long-term group (n=30, convulsion duration ≥ 5 minutes). The clinical data obtained during hospitalization and follow-up were analyzed. Results The retrospective analysis showed that the onset age ranged from 13 months to 24 months accounted for 56.7% in all children. It occured at all seasons of the year, the highest incidence was in autumn/winter, The seizure of 82 cases occurred in the first 3 day, 73.9% of all children. The seizures were generalized in 99 cases(89.2%), focal and secondarily generalized in 12 cases(10.8%). Sixty-two cases (55.9%) fecal rotavirus antigen positive. The differences of sex, age of onset, positive rate of stool rotavirus between single group and multiple group, between short-term group and long-term group with BICE were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Blood biochemical examination, cerebrospinal fluid routine, biochemical and culture tests, brain imaging were all normal. Interictal monitoring as EEG, 11 cases changed in sleep spindles and slow wave, 4 cases appeared sharp slow wave or spike slow wave at central top area, the other cases were normal. Two years follow-up research showed that 9 cases (8.1%)were relapsed and 6 cases (6.15%) developed epilepsy. Conclusion The 13 months-24 months old children have high incidence of BICE, and it occured at all seasons of the year, the highest incidence is in autumn/winter. Prognosis is good for most of the cases, a few cases may develop into epilepsy, long-term prophylaxis of antiepileptic treatments is not necessary, it is very necessary to followed up for a long time.