SHOULD CHILDREN WITH INFECTION BE TESTED FOR LIPID, LIPOPROTEIN AND APOLIPOPROTEIN

The lipid profile is known to alter in patients with infection, but th ere has not been a study of the apolipoprotein levels in serum of othe rwise healthy children during infection. Lipids, lipoproteins, apolipo proteins A-1 and B and lipoprotein (a) were evaluated prospectively in 31 consecutive children, aged 4-15 years, who were admitted to the ho spital with bacterial pharyngitis. The degree of dyslipidemia associat ed with bacterial pharyngitis was assessed using each child as his/her own control and by comparison with 79 healthy children who had not ha d an infection during the past 3 months. Serum total cholesterol, high -density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein A-1 and apolipoprotein B levels were significantly dec reased during the symptomatic phase of the disease, whereas the serum triglyceride level was slightly elevated. Serum lipoprotein (a) concen tration did not change significantly. In conclusion, it is suggested t hat serum lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins should not be asses sed during infection because of the possible transient changes of thes e parameters during infection or inflammation.