Work

Diagnostic utility of circulating interleukin-1 beta and microRNA-146a in differentiating febrile seizures from other pediatric conditions

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND Febrile seizures (FS) are common pediatric neurological disorders typically triggered by fever, affecting children aged 6 months to 5 years. Although usually benign, early and accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective management. AIM To investigate the diagnostic potential of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and microRNA-146a (miR-146a) in distinguishing FS from healthy subjects (HS), fever-only (FO), and seizure-only (SO) cases. METHODS Pediatric patients were grouped into FS (n = 68), HS (n = 52), FO (n = 52), and SO (n = 32). Blood samples were collected within 30 minutes of seizure onset or fever presentation. Plasma samples were analyzed for IL-1β (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and miR-146a (real-time polymerase chain reaction). Group comparisons were conducted using analysis of variance or the non-parametric alternative (Kruskal-Wallis test), while diagnostic performance was evaluated through receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. RESULTS IL-1β levels showed the highest level in FS, followed by FO and SO, with HS showing the lowest levels. IL-1β distinguished FS from HS with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.9983 (sensitivity: 100%, specificity: 96.15%). miR-146a was lowest in FS and highest in HS, achieving an AUC of 1.000 (sensitivity: 100%, specificity: 98.08%). IL-1β and miR-146a also effectively differentiated FS from FO and SO, with respective AUCs of 0.8862 and 0.8173 for FS vs FO. CONCLUSION IL-1β and miR-146a could be promising diagnostic biomarkers for FS, distinguishing FS from HS, FO, and SO with high sensitivity and specificity. These markers possess the potential to enhance early FS diagnosis.

Source: World Journal of Experimental Medicine

DOI: 10.5493/wjem.v16.i1.112061