title: Transient hypophosphataemia associated with acute infectious disease in paediatric patients.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of hypophosphataemia in children with acute infection and the relationship between serum phosphate and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration. Serum phosphate and CRP levels were measured on admission in 238 patients (aged 1 month to 14 y) with: pneumonia (n = 51), upper respiratory tract-related bacterial infection (n = 70), urinary tract infection (n = 50) and viral infection (n = 67). Patients were classified according to CRP value (0-50, 51-100, 101-150, > or = 151 mg/l) and type of infection. The prevalence of hypophosphataemia was calculated for each group. 30 children with hypophosphataemia on admission had serial measurements of serum phosphate and CRP levels. A significant negative correlation between serum phosphate and CRP levels was found (r = -0.41, p < 0.0001). Patients with CRP > or = 151 mg/l on admission had a lower mean serum phosphate value than those with CRP < or = 50 mg/l (1.17 vs 1.50 mmol/l, p < 0.0001). The overall prevalence of hypophosphataemia for patients with pneumonia, upper respiratory tract bacterial infection, urinary tract and viral infections was 45%, 35.7%, 18% and 4.4%, respectively. Hypophosphataemia occurred during the phase of rising of CRP level and resolved soon after CRP reached a plateau. In conclusion, hypophosphataemia is a relatively frequent but transient phenomenon in children with acute infectious disease. It is associated with an increase in CRP concentration and resolves before the normalization of CRP levels.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Paediatrics, Athens University, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Charalampos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Antachopoulos
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Margeli
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giannaki
authors.forename: Chryssa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bakoula
authors.forename: Theodota
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liakopoulou
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Papassotiriou
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017674:Hypophosphatemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010710:Phosphates / Q000097:blood*; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D015995:Prevalence; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D010710:Phosphates; D002097:C-Reactive Protein