Recurrence rate of febrile convulsion related to the degree of pyrexia during the first attack.

Ninety-four children consecutively admitted to the hospital between January 1980 and December 1982 with their first febrile convulsion (FC) were studied to assess the influence of the degree of pyrexia on the recurrence rate of FC. Thirty-eight of sixty-three children between 6 and 18 months of age (the peak incidence of FC) with fever above 40 degrees C were almost seven times less likely to have subsequent convulsions with fever, than those whose initial febrile convulsion was associated with a lower degree of pyrexia. It is suggested that the degree of pyrexia is a factor that influences the recurrence of FC. This may explain why some children have a reduced frequency of subsequent FC compared with others who appear to be at comparable risk.