[Epidemiologic study of 245 cases of children hospitalized with measles].

OBJECTIVE

The object of the present study is an analysis of the characteristics common to children hospitalised because of measles.

DESIGN

A retrospective descriptive study was made of all the children in hospital with measles over a six month period. SITE. The study was carried out in the Hospital Infantil La Fe, in Valencia.

PATIENTS OR OTHERS

PARTICIPANTS

All of the children taken into hospital between January 1983 and December 1988, with diagnosed measles as a stated factor in their hospitalisation, aged between 4 months and ten years.

INTERVENTION: Treatments were extremely varied, depending on the symptoms of the patient. In most cases an antithermic or analgesic was administered (70%).

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN

RESULTS

The data was compiled from clinical histories. We note two epidemics, in 1983 and 1987. 58% of the children were less than 3 years old, and the average age observed was 2.73 years (SD = 2.40). The standard rate of body mass, (PE-IMC) in 81% of the cases, averaged -1.129, and the SD was 1.431, significant with respect to the general population (p 0.001). Only 14% of the children had been previously vaccinated. 76% of the children presented complications.

CONCLUSIONS

New risk factors were not identified. Most notable was the importance of nutritional state and correct vaccination.