Publication date: Jun 06, 2025

This study aimed to clarify the characteristics of febrile seizures (FSs) before and after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global health emergency. This study was a retrospective study conducted at a single institution in Japan. Clinical data were retrospectively collected from 797 children with FS, aged 60 months. Data were compared across these four periods and between COVID-19-related and non-COVID-19-related groups. The monthly average of FSs was 14. 4 in Term I, 7. 7 in Term II, 11. 6 in Term III, and 12. 5 in Term IV. The median age in Term IV was 34 months, significantly older than in Terms I, II, and III. Late FS in the COVID-19-related group was 22. 6 % in Term III and 25 % in Term IV. In the non-COVID-19-related group, late FS rates were 5. 0 % in Term I, 2. 7 % in Term II, 4. 7 % in Term III, and 26. 0 % in Term IV, significantly higher than in Terms I, II, and III. After the end of the COVID-19 global health emergency, the rate of late FS caused by COVID-19 remained high, and the rate of late FS caused by non-COVID-19 infections also increased compared to the pre-COVID-19 period.

Semantics

Original Article