Serum prolactin levels in diff erential diagnosis of pediatric epileptic and nonepileptic (pseudo-SEIZURES) seizures

The aim was to determine diagnostic value of serum prolactin levels in the diff erential diagnosis of epileptic and nonepileptic seizures in children. The study included 100 patients aged one month to 18 years, admitted to the hospital for seizure complaints. All patients underwent electroencephalography in the postictal period and their serum prolactin levels were measured at 10 min and 60 min of the postictal period. The mean 10-min serum prolactin level was 37.1±20.09 ng/mL and 16±14.59 ng/mL (p<0.01) in patients with epileptic and nonepileptic seizures, respectively. After grouping of patients with nonepileptic seizures, the mean 10-min serum prolactin level in patients with epileptic seizures and those with syncope was 37.1±20.09 ng/mL and 30.52±19.21 ng/mL (p>0.05), respectively. The mean 10-min prolactin level in patients with epileptic seizures and those with non-syncope epileptic seizures (night terror, conversion and breath holding spells) was 37.1±20.09 ng/mL and 10.9±5.95 ng/mL (p<0.01), respectively. In conclusion, serum prolactin level in the postictal period is an important marker in the diff erential diagnosis of epileptic and nonepileptic seizures. There was no signifi cant diff erence between serum prolactin levels in the diff erential diagnosis of epileptic seizures and syncope, but it had an important role in diff erentiating nonepileptic cases such as breath holding spells, night terror and hysterical conversions from epileptic seizures and syncope.

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