Cerebrospinal fluid findings in the first febrile convulsion

Abstract

Is a routine lumbar puncture in patients with first episode of febrile convulsion necessary? In order to find an answer to this question, in a prospective study 332 children with a first episode of convulsion were lumbar punctured. 17 patients (5.1%) had abnormal CSF findings although clinically meningitis was not suspected in them. This makes a lumber puncture in children with the first episode of febrile convulsion unavoidable