Background: Febrile seizure (FS) is one of the most common neurological conditions in childhood. It seems that zinc and calcium deficiency are related to seizure activity. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to measure zinc and Calcium levels in the serum and cerebrospinal fluids of febrile convulsive children referred to Zanjan University, Valie Asr hospital. Patients and Methods: Three hundred and ten consecutive children with febrile seizure, who were admitted from January 2009 to December 2010, were studied. Forty five children required lumbar puncture based on the discretion of treating physician. Levels of zinc and calcium were measured in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid specimens of patients using atomic absorption spectrometry method. Results: The mean levels of serum calcium, serum zinc, cerebrospinal fluid calcium and cerebrospinal fluid zinc were 14.51 ± 3.69 mg/dL; 184.04 ± 65.49 µg/dL; 5.23 ± 2.21 mg/dL and 87.06 ± 28.25 µg/dL respectively. Conclusions: We did not find any clear abnormality in plasma or cerebrospinal fluid calcium and zinc levels in children with febrile seizures in our patient population.

IntroductionAbdominal trauma accounts for 15–20% of all-cause mortality of trauma. Abdominopelvic CT scan with intravenous contrast is considered the most accurate non-invasive diagnostic tool in detecting intra-abdominal injuries. In previous studies, rise in liver enzymes and amylase was associated with intra-abdominal injuries but the studies were not sufficient. Our aim was to assess the diagnostic values of liver enzymes and amylase for intra-abdominal injuries in blunt trauma patients.MethodsWe included blunt abdominal trauma patients who referred to three teaching hospitals in 2018. The patients who had 14 years old or more and Glasgow Coma Scale above 8 were enrolled the study if the treating physician had high index of suspicion for intra-abdominal injuries and sent the patients for abdominopelvic CT scan with intravenous contrast. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values are calculated for results of liver enzymes, amylase and abdominal ultrasound.ResultsEventually, 300 patients with blunt abdominal trauma entered the study. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of concurrent positive results of abdominal ultrasound, amylase and liver enzymes were 81.73 (95% CI, 73.2–88.1), 63.78 (95% CI, 65.36–70.61), 58.38 (95% CI, 56.36–70.61) and 84.89 (95% CI, 77.6–90.19), respectively.ConclusionConsidering findings of the present study, the combination of liver enzymes, amylase and abdominal ultrasound results can be an alternative method for detecting intra-abdominal injuries in patients in whom treating physicians have limitations such as overweight, instability of hemodynamic and lack of CT scan facility.