Duration and lateralization of febrile convulsions. Etiological factors.

The relationships of certain etiological factors (sex, age, family history of febrile convulsions or epilepsy, term, birth weight, prenatal or perinatal anomalies, temperature, cause of fever) to the duration and localization of the first febrile convulsion (FC) were studied in 402 patients. In patients with prolonged seizures (over 30 min), the mean age was younger, the proportion of girls, common infectious diseases of childhood, and immunization was higher and that of respiratory infections lower than in patients with brief convulsions. In patients with unilateral seizures, the proportion of positive family histories and respiratory infections was lower and that of common infectious diseases of childhood and of immunization was higher than in patients with bilateral convulsions. The association of each of these etiological factors with the duration or lateralization of the first FC was independent of the others.