Measles severity and serum retinol (vitamin A) concentration among children in the United States.
BACKGROUND
Studies in developing countries have shown that children with measles have low serum retinol concentrations and that lower retinol levels are associated with measles-related mortality. Vitamin A therapy has been shown to reduce mortality among African children with acute measles.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether serum retinol concentration is low among children with measles in the United States and to determine whether retinol concentration is associated with illness severity.


METHODS
Pediatric referral hospital and clinic in Milwaukee, WI, during the measles outbreak of 1989-1990.


METHODS
One hundred fourteen patients < or = 5 years of age evaluated for serologically confirmed measles with serum obtained within 5 days following rash onset.


METHODS
Serum retinol concentration was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Clinical data were collected by hospital record review. A modified Pediatric Risk of Mortality (PRISM) score was used to assess physiologic instability as a measure of illness severity.


RESULTS
Retinol concentrations ranged from 0.25 to 1.18 mumol/L (median 0.58 mumol/L); 82 (72%) patients had low retinol concentration (< or = 0.70 mumol/L). Median retinol concentrations were lower among hospitalized patients (0.56 vs 0.70, P = .006) and patients with pneumonia (0.52 vs 0.64, P = .02) but higher among children with otitis media (0.63 vs 0.54, P = .01). Higher modified PRISM scores, reflecting greater physiologic instability, were associated with lower retinol concentration (beta coefficient -.0147, P = .025). In multivariate analysis, higher modified PRISM scores were associated with lower retinol concentration (beta coefficient -.0144, P = .025) even after controlling for hospitalization, presence of complications, race, age, receipt of Aid to Families With Dependent Children, gender, and interval from rash onset until serum was collected.


CONCLUSIONS
Among these children with measles in an urban United States community, retinol concentrations were depressed, and the degree of depression was associated with illness severity. Vitamin A therapy should be considered for children with measles in the United States who require hospitalization.
Section of Acute and Communicable Disease Epidemiology, Wisconsin Division of Health, Madison.
J C
JC
Butler
P L
PL
Havens
A L
AL
Sowell
D L
DL
Huff
D E
DE
Peterson
S E
SE
Day
M J
MJ
Chusid
R A
RA
Bennin
R
R
Circo
J P
JP
Davis
D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008457:Measles / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood*; D014922:Wisconsin
D014801:Vitamin A