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Shining a Light on Trace Elements: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Serum Concentrations in Febrile seizure

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Abstract

Febrile seizures (FS) are a common occurrence in pediatric patients and are typically triggered by high fevers above 100.4°F (38°C), often associated with viral or bacterial infections such as respiratory or gastrointestinal infections. Recent research suggests that the serum concentration of trace elements may play a role in the occurrence of FS. This study aimed to assess the association between serum levels of trace elements and FS in pediatric patients. A comprehensive search of four databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar, was conducted up to February 2024. The study followed the PICO structure, focusing on the Population (pediatric patients with FS), Intervention (serum concentrations of selenium, zinc, magnesium, and copper), Comparison (with or without controls), and Outcome (occurrence of FS). The methodological quality of the included observational studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) tool. Out of a total of 168 papers, 37 met the inclusion criteria for this meta-analysis, covering studies published between 2018 and 2023. Lower serum zinc levels were observed in pediatric patients with FS compared to control groups (SMD: -1.25, 95% CI: -1.47, -1.03). Conversely, higher serum copper levels were found in control groups compared to those with FS (SMD: 0.43, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.82). Additionally, lower serum magnesium levels were detected in the FS group compared to controls (SMD: -0.76, 95% CI: -1.57, 0.05), while serum selenium levels were approximately two times lower in the FS group than in controls (SMD: -2.23, 95% CI: -2.76, -1.70). Our meta-analysis suggests that pediatric patients with FS have lower serum concentrations of trace elements compared to controls. Further research is warranted to elucidate the potential role of trace elements in the pathogenesis of FS. This meta-analysis and systematic review was registered in the International prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO ID: CRD42024519163). Registry URL: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42024519163 registry number: CRD42024519163.

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Data Availability

All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article and its supplementary files.

Abbreviations

FS:

Febrile seizure

PRISMA:

Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

MeSH:

Medical Subject Heading

NOS:

Newcastle-Ottawa Scale

SMD:

Standardized mean difference

MRAW:

Mean risk averted weighted

FC:

Febrile convulsion

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

    Hamid Abbasi

  2. Neurosciences Research Center (NSRC), Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

    Hamid Abbasi

  3. Faculty of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Science, Rasht, Iran

    Sara Khoshdooz

  4. Student Research Committee, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Mohammad Mehdi Abbasi & Mohammadjavad Pasand

  5. Department of Cellular and Molecular Nutrition, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, No 7, Hafezi St., Farahzadi Blvd., P.O.Box: 19395-4741, Tehran, 1981619573, Iran

    Ghazaleh Eslamian

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Contributions

H.A: systematic search; M.J.P, M.M.A: study selection; M.J.P, H.A: data extraction; H.A, G.E: risk of bias assessment, preparing the figures; H.A, S.KH, M.M.A: drafting the manuscript; G.E: conceptualization; supervision and critically editing the manuscript. All authors approved the final version for submission.

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Correspondence to Ghazaleh Eslamian.

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Abbasi, H., Khoshdooz, S., Abbasi, M.M. et al. Shining a Light on Trace Elements: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Serum Concentrations in Febrile seizure. Biol Trace Elem Res (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-024-04221-5

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