Changes in routine blood parameters of patients with generalized tonic clonic seizure: a retrospective study

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the alterations in routine blood parameters in these patients. Generalized tonic clonic seizure (GTCS) is one main type of generalized epilepsy. Clinicians have recently found changes in routine blood parameters in GTCS patients. METHODS: A retrospective study of 45 GTCS patients and 200 healthy controls was conducted. Blood routine tests in emergency ward and on the second day of admission were retrieved. Changes in routine blood parameters, including red blood cell (RBC) count, white blood cell (WBC) count, platelet count, lymphocyte count, neutrophil count, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) on the seizure episode day and the second day after seizure were analyzed. RESULTS: The GTCS patients had increased platelet count, RBC count, WBC count, neutrophil count, lymphocyte count, and NLR, especially at onset of GTCS episode, compared to the controls. These parameters had decreased on the second day after seizure onset. The neutrophil count and WBC count in GTCS cases with seizure duration <5 min were significantly lower than those with seizure duration >5 min. However, this phenomenon was not observed in other indices. CONCLUSION: The GTCS may induce a transient increase in RBC count, WBC count, and platelet count, and obvious elevation in neutrophil count. There is a certain correlation between WBC count and the duration of seizures. Changes in routine blood parameters observed in GTCS patients may provide useful information clinically.