CHANGES IN LIPID PROFILE OBSERVED IN CHILDREN OVER THE COURSE OF INFECTIOUS-DISEASE

Lipid profile was evaluated prospectively in 23 consecutive children, aged 3.2-14.9 years, admitted to the hospital with a febrile illness ( pneumonia, upper respiratory tract infection, diarrhea, pyelonephritis , mononucleosis, appendicitis). The degree of dyslipidemia associated with fever was assessed using each child as his/her own control and by comparison with 93 non-febrile children who had no evidence of fever during the past six months. Total cholesterol decreased during the sym ptomatic phase of the discase. The magnitude and duration of its decre ase appeared to be related to the degree and duration of fever. Low HD L-cholesterol and hypertriglyceridemia were observed during the late s tage of the febrile disease and were still detected in the convalescen t phase. This study suggests that in children, transient and sometimes prolonged lipid changes may occur in association with an infectious f ebrile disease. This effect is important for defining the appropriate timing for screening for dyslipidemias.