No comparative studies have addressed the
oxidant and
antioxidant states of blood and cerebrospinal fluid. To reveal this differential state, the study was designed to identify the seizure type with the worse prognosis by determining erythrocyte
arginase and erythrocyte
catalase, plasma and cerebrospinal fluid
malondialdehyde, and plasma and cerebrospinal fluid
nitric oxide levels. Study groups were classified as febrile (group 1, n = 21), afebrile (group 2, n = 21), and control (group 3, n = 41, subdivided as 3a, febris positive, convulsion negative, and 3b, febris negative, convulsion negative). Levels of erythrocyte
arginase, erythrocyte
catalase, plasma
malondialdehyde, cerebrospinal fluid
malondialdehyde, plasma
nitric oxide, and cerebrospinal fluid
nitric oxide levels were determined for all groups. A difference was detected between the control and
febrile seizure groups with respect to erythrocyte
catalase and plasma and cerebrospinal fluid levels of
nitric oxide (P < 0.05). Both febrile states and convulsions influence oxidative mechanism. Oxidative stress-generating potential differs for febrile and afebrile
seizures. In afebrile
seizures, greater levels of oxidative stress might affect prognosis adversely. This phenomenon can be interpreted in terms of
fever as a protective factor against possible neurological damage during convulsive
seizures.