A Study on Vitamin A Levels in Measles Patients

Kim, Sang Bum; Shin, Seon Hee; Park, Eun Young; Yang, Seung; Kim, Hong Dae; Oh, Phil Soo; Yoon, Hae Sun

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was done to compare the vitamin A levels between hospitalized patients of measles symptoms and of the other infectious diseases common in childhood (bronchiolitis, penumonia, gastroenteritis and etc.).
METHODS
We have set up a population of 133 hospitalized patients of measles symptoms in the pediatric department of Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital between Nov. 2000~Apr. 2001 and compared them to a group of 30 hospitalized patients of other infectious diseases between Dec. 2001~Feb. 2002. The whole patients were divided into three groups by diagnosing measles-specific IgM antibody positive as measles group(n=104), negative as measles-susepcted group(n=29) and other infectious disease group. And we compared the vitamin A levels, clinical symptoms, and general hematological and biochemical results.
RESULTS
Among the 104 measles patients, the concentrated age groups were 10~12 months(n=24, 23.1%), 13~15 months(n=16, 15.3%) and 16 months~4 years of age(n=24, 23.1%). The mean levels of vitamin A of measles and measles-susepcted groups were 69.6±28.6 µg/dL and 75.2±34.4 µg/dL, respectively, and that of other infectious disease group was 28.1±17.5 µg/dL.
CONCLUSION
The mean levels of vitamin A of both measles and measles-suspected groups were significantly higher than that of other infectious disease group(P < 0.05) and showed no significant correlations with clinical symptoms and hospitalization duration.