The role of lipid profile and inflammotry markers in diffrentiating between focal and generalized types of seizures in pediatric epilepsy patients

Year 2025, Volume: 11 Issue: 5, 934 - 943, 04.09.2025

Serap Bilge , Hüseyin Bilgin

https://doi.org/10.18621/eurj.1745159

Abstract

Objectives: Seizures result from excessive and abnormal neuronal excitation, accompanied by pathophysiological processes such as inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptotic cell death. Previous studies have demonstrated that patients with epilepsy often exhibit dysregulated inflammatory, vascular, and metabolic pathways, with certain seizure types associated with high pro-inflammatory cytokines. We aimed to investigate whether lipid profile parameters and inflammatory markers can be used to differentiate between focal and generalized seizures in pediatric epilepsy patients.

Methods: A total of 100 pediatric epilepsy patients and 100 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were recruited at Diyarbakır Children's Hospital between December 2021 and March 2023. Ethical approval was obtained from the institutional review board, and informed consent was secured from parents/guardians. Lipid levels (triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein [LDL] cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein [HDL]) cholesterol) and inflammatory markers (ferritin, glucose, white blood cell count [WBC], C-reactive protein [CRP]) were analyzed using standard laboratory methods.

Results: The mean age was 9.2±4.4 years in the epilepsy group and 8.9±4.9 years in controls. Triglycerides, LDL, and total cholesterol levels were significantly higher in epilepsy patients compared to controls (P<0.05). Similarly, ferritin, glucose, WBC count, and CRP were elevated in the epilepsy group. Among seizure subtypes, patients with generalized seizures demonstrated significantly higher triglyceride, LDL, and total cholesterol levels compared with those with focal seizures (P<0.05). The WBC count was the only inflammatory marker that was elevated considerably in the generalized seizure group.

Conclusions: Pediatric patients with epilepsy, particularly those with generalized seizures, exhibit higher lipid and inflammatory marker levels compared to controls and patients with focal seizures. These findings suggest potential diagnostic and prognostic roles for metabolic and inflammatory markers in seizure classification.

Keywords

Epilepsy , seizures , lipid profile , inflammatory markers , pediatrics

Ethical Statement

This study was approved by the University of Health Sciences Gazi Yaşargil Training and Research Hospital Clinical Research Ethics Committee (Decision No: 2023/492; date: 04.08.2023). All procedures were conducted in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants and their legal guardians.

Thanks

Thanks to all health professionals of Diyarbakır Children's Hospital

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