Antioxidant vitamins improves hemoglobin level in children with group a beta hemolytic streptococcal infection.

ABSTRACT

A study was done on school children infected with group A beta hemolytic streptococci to examine whether antioxidant vitamins play a role in improving the hemoglobin level. A total of 606 primary school children aged 5 to 15 years were randomly divided into two intervention groups. Group 1 (n=299) was treated with pehnoxymethyl penicillin V and group 2 (n=307) was treated with phenoxymethyl penicillin V plus antioxidant vitamins for eight weeks. From each group two blood samples were drawn in acute and convalescent (after eight weeks) states. Before treatment, mean hemoglobin values were 11.0 and 10.8 mg/dL in groups 1 and 2 respectively. After treatment hemoglobin values were 10.5 and 11.6 mg/dL respectively. Values were significantly decreased in group 1 (P=0.0001), whereas increased in group 2 (P=0.001). Adjustment for age and sex by ANCOVA confirmed the difference in hemoglobin levels between group (LS means-0.5 vs 0.8 in groups 1 and 2 respectively (P=0.0001). Hemoglobin level increases after antioxidant vitamin supplementation in children suffering from group A beta hemolytic streptococcal infection.