Tokyo, Japan

Author Affiliations: Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Nihon University School of Medicine, Japan (Haruyama W, Fuchigami T, Noguchi Y, Endo A, Hashimoto K, Inamo Y, Fujita Y, Takahashi S, Mugishima H)

Corresponding Author: Tatsuo Fuchigami, MD, PhD, Department of General Pediatrics, Nihon University Nerima Hikarigaoka Hospital, Nihon University School of Medicine, 2-11-1, Hikarigaoka, Nerima-ku, Tokyo 179-0072, Japan (Tel: +81-3-3979-3611; Fax: +81-3-3979-3787; Email: tfuchi@med.nihon-u.ac.jp)

Background: Drugs such as theophylline, antihistamines, and antiallergics with anti-histaminic actions have been shown to induce febrile seizures. The relationship between febrile seizures and medications has not been actively investigated. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between the clinical characteristics of febrile seizures and the use of medications.

Methods: Two hundred and sixty-five children treated at our emergency room due to febrile seizures were studied to investigate the relationship between the clinical characteristics of febrile seizures, such as the type and duration of convulsions, and the drug treatment.

Results: The duration of convulsions was longer among children who took theophylline and antihistamines than among children who did not take these medications. Of the antihistamines, mequitazine did not prolong the duration of convulsion.

Conclusions: Theophylline should not be used in febrile children, particularly infants. Cautions should be taken in using histamine H1 antagonists in young infants because such drugs could potentially disturb the anticonvulsive central histaminergic system. However, mequitazine appears to be a suitable antihistamine for use in children with febrile seizures, since it does not prolong convulsions.

Key words: antihistamine; febrile seizures; mequitazine; theophylline

                 World J Pediatr 2008;4(3):202-205