Assessment of selected cytokine levels and vitamin D concentration in children hospitalised due to simple febrile seizures

Introduction:
Febrile seizures remain a common issue with an unexplained pathomechanism. Increasing attention is being paid to the potential involvement of vitamin D and other immunological factors, including cytokines, as potential regulators of the seizure response during fever. Febrile seizures remain a common issue with an unexplained pathomechanism. Increasing attention is being paid to the potential involvement of vitamin D and other immunological factors, including cytokines, as potential regulators of the seizure response during fever. The aim of the study was to assess the serum levels of selected cytokines and vitamin D in children hospitalised due to febrile seizures.

Material and methods:
The study group consisted of 31 children hospitalised due to simple febrile seizures. The control group included 30 children admitted due to febrile conditions without seizure incidents. Patients were treated in the General Paediatrics Department at the Independent Public Clinical Hospital No. 1, Zabrze. Blood samples were collected from selected patients upon admission to measure serum TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-1RA, and vitamin D levels. Cytokine assays were performed at the Department of Medical and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, using the immunoenzymatic method. Vitamin D levels were measured in the hospital laboratory using the electrochemiluminescence method.

Results:
Higher levels of all cytokines were found in children with febrile seizures compared to the children with fever. The vitamin D concentration was lower in the study group compared to the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant. Reduced levels of vitamin D were found in nearly one-third of the patients with febrile seizures and nearly one-fifth of the patients without febrile incidents. In both groups, the number of children with a deficiency was lower than the estimated population percentage.

Conclusions:
The higher serum cytokine levels in children with febrile seizures, compared to febrile children without seizures, indicate the involvement of the immune system in their aetiopathogenesis. Confirmation of the relationship between vitamin D levels and febrile seizures requires further research.