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Transient decreased retinol serum levels in children with pneumonia and acute phase response.

OBJECTIVE
To compare serum retinol levels in preschool children during an episode of pneumonia and 45 days after the resolution of the infection.


METHODS
The study was conducted with preschool children without any infection (control group, n = 9) or children hospitalized for pneumonia (n = 12), who were evaluated soon after hospitalization (phase 1) and 45 days later (phase 2). Nutritional assessment included anthropometric measurements, a food questionnaire, and laboratory blood routine examination, including urinary and serum retinol levels. Paired Student t or Mann-Whitney tests were used as required.


RESULTS
Food intake was similar between groups. Blood hemoglobin and serum sodium and albumin decreased during phase 1, while there were higher C-reactive protein serum values. Urinary retinol levels remained unchanged whereas serum retinol increased significantly after pneumonia recovery.


CONCLUSIONS
During the course of pneumonia, children had transient decrease in serum levels of vitamin A, an epiphenomenon of the acute phase response.