Antecedents and outcome of simple and complex febrile convulsions among Saudi children.

Of 215 Saudi children seen with their first febrile convulsion (FC) at the King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, between January 1984 and December 1988, the index FC was simple for 133 children and complex for the remaining 82. History of adverse antecedent factors, particularly perinatal asphyxia, birth injuries and pre-existing neurological deficits, were significantly more associated with complex FC, as was occurrence of first FC before the age of 12 months. Recurrence of FCs and development of epilepsy were also more common among the group of children with complex FC. Complex FCs were less benign in the present study population than has been reported in some Western studies.