Homovanillic acid and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in lumbar cerebrospinal fluid in children with afebrile and febrile convulsions.

The concentrations of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) and homovanillic acid (HVA) were measured in lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from five groups of children: (1) afebrile controls (2) febrile controls, (3) children with afebrile convulsions, which included children with established idiopathic epilepsy, (4) children with first febrile convulsions, and (5) children with repeated febrile convulsions. There were no significant differences between the metabolite levels in the five diagnostic groups. The CSF concentrations of 5-HIAA and HVA in these children, with a mean age of 2.5 years, were about twice the levels found in adults.