Association between iron deficiency anaemia and febrile seizures in children aged 1–5 years: a case-control study

Background: Febrile seizures (FS) constitute the most prevalent seizure disorder in early childhood. Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) has been hypothesised as a modifiable neurobiological risk factor for FS, potentially mediated through altered dopaminergic and GABAergic neurotransmission. This study assesses the association between iron deficiency anaemia and febrile seizures in children aged 1–5 years. Methods: A prospective case-control study enrolled 50 children (25 cases with febrile seizures; 25 controls with febrile illness without seizures) aged 1–5 years at Al Ameen Medical College Hospital, Vijayapura. Haematological parameters including haemoglobin (Hb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), and red cell distribution width (RDW) were assessed. IDA was defined as Hb