title: Oxidant/antioxidant status and vitamin A levels in children infected with varicella.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Baskent University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Ankara, Turkey. zekaiavci@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Zekai
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Avci
authors.forename: Aslihan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Avci
authors.forename: Bulent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Alioglu
authors.forename: Baris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Malbora
authors.forename: Nilüfer
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bayraktar
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Derbent
authors.forename: Namik
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ozbek
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D016877:Oxidants; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D014801:Vitamin A; D008315:Malondialdehyde