Benign infantile convulsions associated with mild gastroenteritis:Report of 31 cases

Objective: To investigate the clinical features and the prognosis of benign infantile convulsions associated with mild gastroenteritis (BICE). Methods: Infants with mild gastroenteritis accompanied with seizures were observed and followed up from November 2001 to October 2006. Results: The ages of onset in 31 cases with mild gastroenteritis accompanied with BICE ranged from 5 to 25 months old, and the prevailing age was between 12 and 24 months old (22 cases). All episodes occurred in winter. The average number of seizures during a single episode was 1.4. The seizure occurred as generalized tonic-clonic pattern. During interval, only one infant presented as active 4-5 Hz θ-wave on electroencephalogram. The brain imaging blood biochemical profile and cerebrospinal fluid testing did not show abnormality in all cases. No antiepileptic medications were prescribed to the patients as the seizures had stopped. One infant experienced relapses that did not happen more than twice. The course of BICE lasted less than one year. All cases demonstrated normal psychomotor development and had no family history of febrile convulsion of epilepsy. Conclusions: The infantile seizures could be associated with mild gastroenteritis, and occur in cases, presenting as temporal episode. The special treatment is not necessary and the prognosis is good.