[Changes in the hippocampal volume in the acute phase following febrile convulsions in children].

OBJECTIVE

To study the changes in the hippocampal volume in the acute phase after febrile convulsions (FC) in children.

METHODS

The brain MRI was performed on 30 children with FC (15 simple and 15 complex) and 30 normal children (control). The hippocampal volume for both sides was compared between groups.

RESULTS

In the control group, the average volume of the right hippocampus was significantly larger than that of the left side (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the hippocampal volume between the left and right sides in the FC group. The average volumes of both the left and right hippocampus in the FC group (2.03 + or - 0.25 cm(3) and 2.18 + or - 0.21 cm(3) respectively) were enlarged compared to the control group (1.90 + or - 0.24 cm(3) and 1.97 + or - 0.20 cm(3) respectively) (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the hippocampal volume between the simple and the complex FC groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The hippocampal volume is enlarged in the acute phase after FC in children. The hippocampal volume in children with simple FC is similar to that in children with complex FC in the acute stage.