Oxidant/antioxidant status and vitamin A levels in children infected with varicella.
OBJECTIVE
Varicella is a childhood disease, with its highest incidence being found in children aged 1 to 9 years. The aim of this study was to investigate the plasma oxidant and antioxidant status in Turkish children with varicella infection.


METHODS
The study population consisted of 29 children infected with varicella recruited from the Department of Pediatrics at Baskent University Hospital in Ankara, Turkey. The control group consisted of 20 age-matched children from the same region who were apparently otherwise healthy. After overnight fasting, venous blood samples were obtained and transferred to heparinized tubes. Plasma malondialdehyde and vitamin A levels were measured in both groups.


RESULTS
The plasma malondialdehyde levels were higher in children in the infected group than they were in children in the control group. However, there were no statistically significant differences in plasma vitamin A levels between the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that oxidant stress causes significant peroxidation, and the antioxidant defence system is affected in varicella infection. Antioxidant supplementation may yield beneficial results in these patients. Further studies are needed to determine the positive effects of vitamin A supplementation in patients with varicella infections.
Avci
Zekai
Z
Baskent University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Ankara, Turkey. zekaiavci@yahoo.com
Avci
Aslihan
A
Alioglu
Bulent
B
Malbora
Baris
B
Bayraktar
Nilüfer
N
Derbent
Murat
M
Ozbek
Namik
N
D000293:Adolescent; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood*; D016877:Oxidants / Q000097:blood*; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000032:analysis; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood*
D000975:Antioxidants; D016877:Oxidants; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D014801:Vitamin A; D008315:Malondialdehyde