Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein as a predictor of cardiac ischemia in intractable seizures in children.

BACKGROUND

Children with intractable epilepsy have chronic dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system causing myocardial ischemia. Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) is a sensitive biomarker for myocardial ischemia.

AIMS

We aimed to evaluate serum levels of H-FABP during seizures compared to their interictal levels and healthy controls and changes in heart rate (HR) and HR variability (HRV) in epileptic children with intractable seizures.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We included 30 epileptic seizures in 25 children with intractable epilepsy and 30 matched controls. They were subjected to video-electroencephalography monitoring simultaneously with Holter electrocardiogram and measurement of H-FABP.

RESULTS

Mean serum levels of H-FABP were increased significantly in patients either in the ictal or interictal periods compared to that in the controls ( < 0.001 and P< 0.01, respectively). There is no significant difference in serum levels of the H-FABP in the ictal and interictal periods. The basal time domain measures of HRV were significantly lower in the patient group compared to the control group.

CONCLUSION

H-FABP might suggest a degree of myocardial ischemia in intractable epilepsy. HRV is impaired in patients with refractory seizures.