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Journal of Pediatric Epilepsy 2021; 10(03): 104-109
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1713153
Original Article

Neuroglobin and Prolactin As Potential Biomarkers for Differentiating Epileptic versus Nonepileptic Paroxysmal Disorders in Children

Mohammed Hashem Mahgoob
1   Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Minia, Egypt
,
Mahmoud Mohammed Moussa
2   Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Minia, Egypt
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Abstract

At least 20% of patients referred to pediatric epilepsy centers with the suspicion of epileptic seizures actually have other conditions. Neuroglobin is a new globin member which is highly expressed in the central and peripheral nervous systems. In this article, we aimed to evaluate usefulness of neuroglobin to differentiate between epilepsy and other conditions that mimic epilepsy. Our study was conducted on 90 children divided into three groups: 30 patients with epileptic seizures, 35 children with nonepileptic paroxysmal disorder, and 25 apparently healthy, age and sex-matched children as a normal control. Complete blood count, blood chemistries including random blood glucose, calcium, sodium, in addition to serum prolactin, and neuroglobin were performed for all children. This study showed a significant increase of both serum neuroglobin and prolactin levels in epileptic group compared with nonepileptic paroxysmal disorder and control groups (p < 0.01). Serum neuroglobin showed 95% sensitivity and 95.7% specificity in the diagnosis of generalized seizures. Serum neuroglobin may be a promising novel marker to differentiate epileptic versus nonepileptic disorders in children in the emergency setting, when history and clinical presentation are equivocal.

Keywords

neuroglobin - prolactin - nonepileptic disorders

Ethical Approval

Informed written consents were obtained from the patient's legal guardians before enrollment in our study, after the Ethical Committee of Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Egypt approved the study (No 152:4/2018).




Publication History

Received: 14 February 2020

Accepted: 11 April 2021

Article published online:
19 June 2020

© 2020. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
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