J Korean Soc Emerg Med.  1997 Dec;8(4):542-547.

A Study of Infuential Factors on Glucose Levels in Blood and Cerebrospinal Fluid of Children with Convulsions

• Park DH
• Park J
• Lee KW
• Cho NS
• Kim KH
• Yang ES
• Moon KR
• Park SK

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In febrile convulsions, glucose concentrations are known to increase both in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid(CSF). The reason behind this increase is, however, not completely understood. We have studied the effects of convulsion and fever on the CSF and blood concentrations in four different groups of children: convulsive and non- convulsive children, with and without fever.
METHODS
This study was retrospectively undertaken to review medical records of 167 children who had lumbar puncture at Chosun University Hospital during 2 years from January 1994 to December 1996. The blood samples for glucose determinations were taken just before the lumbar puncture. The effects of several variables (body temperature, duration of fever, convulsions) were analysed on glucose concentrations in the CSF and blood between the groups.
RESULTS
1) The concentration of glucose in the CSF was significantly higher in convulsive children with(90.9+/-24.Smg/dl) and without fever(105+/-29.7mg/dl) than in non-convulsive children with(68.4+/-12.3mg/dl) and without fever(67.5+/-13.3mg/dl). 2) The concentration of glucose in the blood was not significant in the different groups. 3) There was no correlation between the body temperature and the concentration of glucose in the CSF(r=0.09, p>0.05).4) A negative correlation between the duration of the fever and the concentration of glucose in the CSF was found in febrile chi1dren (r=-0.26, p<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
Our results show that an increase in the CSF glucose concentration in convulsive children may be influenced more by a stress reaction, evoked by the seizure than increased body temperature.

MeSH Terms

Body Temperature
Cerebrospinal Fluid*
Child*
Fever
Glucose*
Humans
Medical Records
Retrospective Studies
Seizures*
Seizures, Febrile
Spinal Puncture
Glucose