Role of EEG and neuroimaging in first onset afebrile and complex febrile seizure in children in Kashmir.

Objectives: 1) To determine the frequency of abnormal neuroimaging in children coming with new onset afebrile and complex febrile seizures; 2) Make out any correlation between EEG and Neuroimaging (CT/MRI). Study Design: A hospital based prospective study. Material & Methods: 276 children who presented with new onset afebrile or complex febrile seizures from 6months – 14 years of age underwent EEG & neuroimaging (CT and MRI). Results: Generalized seizures constituted the major seizure group in our study 116/276 (42%), followed by partial seizures 86/276 (31.2%) & complex febrile seizure in 64/276 (23.2%). Sample constituted predominantly males in all seizure types 162/276 (58.7%). Generalized as well as partial seizures were more common in children aged 6 to 14 years while as complex febrile seizures were predominantly seen in children less than 6 years old (p<0.000). Most of the patients with generalized & partial seizures had EEG abnormalities, while as EEG abnormalities were uncommon in patients with complex febrile seizures (p<0.000). 27/276 (9.8%) patients with seizure disorder had abnormal CT scans & this abnormality was more commonly seen in patients with partial seizures. CT abnormality was seen more commonly in those patients who had an abnormal EEG (p<0.000). EEG & CT correlation showed patients with abnormal EEG had higher rates of CT abnormality 16.1% (25/155) (p value <0.000). MRI was done electively in those where EEG was abnormal or CT needed confirmation. Abnormal MRI was seen in 32/157 (20.4%) patients. EEG & MRI correlation showed accuracy of picking abnormality by MRI, when EEG was abnormal, [24.8% (p