Biomaterial Database

[Discontinuous selective prophylaxis of febrile convulsions at home with rectal diazepam]. 1989

M Devilat, and M Paz Masafierro

Selective episodic prophylactic home treatment with rectal diazepam in children with febrile convulsions should reduce the risks of permanent long term anticonvulsive drug therapy. To evaluate this approach and its side effects, selective prophylaxis (rectal diazepam, 0.6 mg x kg at 8 to 12 hour intervals) was given to 15 children with previous febrile convulsions whenever their axillary temperature raised to 38 C degrees or over. They were followed up for a mean of 7.73 months (range 3 to 20 months). In a total of 27 febrile episodes only 2 seizures occurred, each to a different patient and in both cases when treatment was inadvertently withheld. No recurrences were observed in the remaining 13 patients involving 25 treated febrile crisis. The small number of patients precluded evaluation of the effects of risk factors in recurrence rates. Mild and transient collateral effects were detected in 46.6% patients and in 32.0% of the observed febrile periods. In spite of the small number of patients and short follow-up period these results suggest, that episodic, non permanent, treatment with rectal diazepam is an appropriate alternative to traditional continuous oral anticonvulsive therapy for children with febrile convulsions.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007223	Infant	A child between 1 and 23 months of age.	Infants
D012008	Recurrence	The return of a sign, symptom, or disease after a remission.	Recrudescence,Relapse,Recrudescences,Recurrences,Relapses
D002675	Child, Preschool	A child between the ages of 2 and 5.	Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D003294	Seizures, Febrile	Seizures that occur during a febrile episode. It is a common condition, affecting 2-5% of children aged 3 months to five years. An autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance has been identified in some families. The majority are simple febrile seizures (generally defined as generalized onset, single seizures with a duration of less than 30 minutes). Complex febrile seizures are characterized by focal onset, duration greater than 30 minutes, and/or more than one seizure in a 24 hour period. The likelihood of developing epilepsy (i.e., a nonfebrile seizure disorder) following simple febrile seizures is low. Complex febrile seizures are associated with a moderately increased incidence of epilepsy. (From Menkes, Textbook of Child Neurology, 5th ed, p784)	Convulsions, Febrile,Febrile Seizures,Pyrexial Seizure,Febrile Convulsion Seizure,Febrile Fit,Fever Convulsion,Fever Seizure,Pyrexial Convulsion,Seizure, Febrile, Complex,Seizure, Febrile, Simple,Convulsion, Febrile,Convulsion, Fever,Convulsion, Pyrexial,Convulsions, Fever,Convulsions, Pyrexial,Febrile Convulsion,Febrile Convulsion Seizures,Febrile Convulsions,Febrile Fits,Febrile Seizure,Fever Convulsions,Fever Seizures,Fit, Febrile,Fits, Febrile,Pyrexial Convulsions,Pyrexial Seizures,Seizure, Febrile,Seizure, Febrile Convulsion,Seizure, Fever,Seizure, Pyrexial,Seizures, Febrile Convulsion,Seizures, Fever,Seizures, Pyrexial
D003975	Diazepam	A benzodiazepine with anticonvulsant, anxiolytic, sedative, muscle relaxant, and amnesic properties and a long duration of action. Its actions are mediated by enhancement of GAMMA-AMINOBUTYRIC ACID activity.	7-Chloro-1,3-dihydro-1-methyl-5-phenyl-2H-1,4-benzodiazepin-2-one,Apaurin,Diazemuls,Faustan,Relanium,Seduxen,Sibazon,Stesolid,Valium
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000285	Administration, Rectal	The insertion of drugs into the rectum, usually for confused or incompetent patients, like children, infants, and the very old or comatose.	Anal Drug Administration,Drug Administration, Rectal,Instillation, Rectal,Rectal Drug Administration,Drug Administration, Anal,Rectal Administration,Administration, Anal Drug,Administration, Rectal Drug,Administrations, Anal Drug,Administrations, Rectal,Administrations, Rectal Drug,Anal Drug Administrations,Drug Administrations, Anal,Drug Administrations, Rectal,Instillations, Rectal,Rectal Administrations,Rectal Drug Administrations,Rectal Instillation,Rectal Instillations