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.