Predictive and Prognostic Factors of Viral Encephalitis in Pediatric Patients.

Kim,  Jaeyeon; Park,  Yu Gene; Lee,  Jiwon; Kim,  Ji Hye; Lee,  Munhyang; Lee,  Jeehun

doi:2017.25.2.99

Ann Child Neurol > Volume 25(2); 2017 > Article

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Child Neurology Society 2017;25(2):99-105.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26815/jkcns.2017.25.2.99 Published online June 30, 2017.

Predictive and Prognostic Factors of Viral Encephalitis in Pediatric Patients.

Jaeyeon Kim, Yu Gene Park, Jiwon Lee, Ji Hye Kim, Munhyang Lee, Jeehun Lee

¹Seoul Metropolitan Children's Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
²Department of Pediatrics and Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of medicine, Seoul, Korea. jhlee0101@skku.edu
³Department of Radiology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

PURPOSE
Encephalitis is an inflammation affecting brain parenchyma. At the time of presentation, it may be difficult to differentiate between viral encephalitis and altered mental status or seizures during febrile illness. The aim of the present study is to identify the predictive factors and to determine the prognostic factors of viral encephalitis in children presenting as seizure with fever. METHODS: From the retrospective review of the medical records, children with seizures or altered mental status during febrile illness who presented to Samsung Medical Center between January 2008 and May 2013 were included in the study. RESULTS: 81 patients were enrolled in this study (female:male=32:49). The mean age at admission was 4.9±4.3 years (range 0–14 years old). The patients were categorized into two groups according to the clinical diagnosis: (1) Viral encephalitis (VIRAL ENC, n=66), (2) Complex febrile seizures imitating viral encephalitis(C-FS, n=15). The predictive factors of viral encephalitis were focal and/or lateralized abnormalities in electroencephalography (EEG) (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: EEG can be helpful to predict the viral encephalitis, in pediatric patient who shows delayed restoration of consciousness after seizure during febrile illness.

Key Words: Encephalitis, Predictive factor, Prognostic factor, EEG