title: C-reactive protein in measles.
abstract: Seventy-two children with early measles (1st-3rd day of rash), presenting at two centres in Santiago, Chile, were classified as having mild ('ordinary measles', n = 50), or moderate to severe measles ('primarily severe measles', n = 22). The level of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) was determined by nephelometry from a finger prick sample. The mean CRP value in ordinary measles, 19 mg/l, was significantly lower (P less than 0.001) than in primarily severe measles where the mean CRP was 65 mg/l. During late measles (5th-8th day of rash), the mean CRP was 19 mg/l if the child recovered uneventfully (n = 35), whereas the mean level of 123 mg/l (P less than 0.001) was encountered when the child suffered from complicating pneumonia (n = 22). We conclude that the simple quantitative CRP determination is a useful alarm signal during the course of measles: elevated levels point to severity or complications in recovery.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Luis Calvo Mackenna, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Roine
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ledermann
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Arrizaga
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bosch
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bertin
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Urrutia
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Banfi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Peltola
mesh_terms: D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008457:Measles / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D009391:Nephelometry and Turbidimetry; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D000658:Amoxicillin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein