Convulsions in children hospitalized for acute gastroenteritis

• Published in: Scientific reports 2021-08, Vol.11 (1), p.15874-15874, Article 15874
• Main Authors: Iflah, Moti, Kassem, Eias, Rubinstein, Uri, Goren, Sophy, Ephros, Moshe, Cohen, Dani, Muhsen, Khitam
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 692/308; 692/308/174; 692/308/3187; Age; Body temperature; Campylobacter; Children; Convulsions; Gastroenteritis; Hospitalization; Humanities and Social Sciences; Hyperglycemia; multidisciplinary; Rotavirus; Salmonella; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Shigella; Viruses
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-95202-4

The study aim was to examine possible correlates of convulsions in children hospitalized for acute gastroenteritis (AGE). Data collected in a prospective study of AGE hospitalizations in children aged 0–59 months in 3 hospitals in Israel during 2008–2015 were analyzed. Stool samples were tested for rotavirus using immunochromatography and stool culture was performed for the detection of Salmonella , Shigella and Campylobacter We compared clinical and demographic characteristics of children hospitalized for AGE who had convulsions (n = 68, cases) with children hospitalized for AGE without convulsions (n = 3505, controls). Age differed between children with and without convulsions ( p  = 0.005); the former were mostly toddlers aged 12–23 months (51%) compared to 30% of the control group. A higher percentage of cases tested positive for Shigella (11% vs. 4%, p  = 0.002), the opposite was found for rotavirus (2% vs. 30% p