© 1992 by Oxford University Press
research-article |
C-Reactive Protein in Measles
*Hospital Luis Calvo Mackenna Santiago, Chile
**Carol Urzua Health Center Penalolen Santiago, Chile
***Children's Hospital, University of Helsinki, and National Public Health Institute Helsinki, Finland
Correspondence: Irmeli Roine, Los Misioneros 2237, Santiago, Chile.
Seventy-two children with early measles (lst3rd 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<0.001) than in primarily severe measles where the mean CRP was 65 mg/l.
During late measles (5th8th 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<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.