Impact of measles vaccination on clinical characteristics and outcomes in children in Ramadi, Iraq

Table 1 Comparison of socio-demographics according to measles vaccination status of the study group, n (%)

Variables	Total (n = 289)	Not vaccinated (n = 187)	Vaccinated (n = 102)	P value
Age (months), mean ± SD
		39.9 ± 35.1	50.9 ± 39.9	0.0211
Age group
< 5 years	222 (76.8 )	171 (77.02)	51 (22.98)
≥ 5 years	67 (23.2)	16 (23.88)	51 (76.12)
Sex				0.589
Male	161(55.7)	107 (57.2)	54 (52.9)
Female	128 (44.3)	80 (42.8)	48 (47.1)
Residence
Rural	186 (64.4)	132 (70.6)	54 (52.9)	0.021
Urban	103 (35.6)	55 (29.4)	48 (47.1)
Father education				0.597
Illiterate	119 (41.17)	79 (42.2)	40 (39.2)
Primary	118 (40.83)	78 (41.7)	40 (39.2)
Secondary	25 (8.65)	16 (8.6)	9 (8.8)
College	19 (6.57)	9 (4.8)	10 (9.8)
Higher education	8 (2.78)	5 (2.7)	3 (2.9)
Mother education				0.809
Illiterate	142 (49.16)	89 (47.6)	53 (52)
Primary	101 (34.94)	69 (36.9)	32 (31.4)
Secondary	36 (12.45)	23 (12.3)	13 (12.7)
College	6 (2.07)	3 (1.6)	3 (2.9)
Higher education	4 (1.38)	3 (1.6)	1 (1)

¹Significant at 0.05 by independent t-test.

Table 2 Comparison of signs and symptoms of measles among the study group, according to their vaccination status, n (%)

Signs and Symptoms	Total (n = 289)	Not vaccinated (n = 187)	Vaccinated (n = 102)	P value
Cough	277 (95.8)	182 (97.3)	95 (93.1)	0.088
Skin rash				0.011
Typical	277 (95.8)	182 (97.3)	95 (93)
Atypical	3 (1)	0 (0)	3 (3)
Koplik’s spots	96 (33.2)	82 (43.8)	14 (13.7)	0.0011
Conjunctivitis	268 (92.7)	170 (90.9)	98 (96.1)	0.106
Coryza	208(72)	146 (78.1)	62 (60.8)	0.0021

¹Significant at 0.05 by Pearson’s χ² test.

Table 3 Comparisons of laboratory tests according to measles’ vaccination status of the study sample, n (%)

Laboratory tests	Not vaccinated, mean ± SD	Vaccinated, mean ± SD	P value
WBC count × 103	7.5 ± 3.2	7 ± 2.6	0.129
Neutropenia	11 (5.9)	3 (2.9)	0.266
Hemoglobin (mg/dL)	10.6 ± 1.4	10.7 ± 1.1	0.484
Platelets × 106	293.1 ± 89.4	261.5 ± 84.5	0.0031
ESR	10.7 ± 5.1	10.7 ± 4.8	0.988
Positive C-reactive protein	29 (15.5)	10 (9.8)	0.175

¹Significant at 0.05 by independent t-test. WBC: White blood cells; ESR: Erythrocyte sedimentation rate.

Table 4 Comparison of index measles case, hospitalization stay, and admission to respiratory care unit according to measles’ vaccination status of the study sample, n (%)

Variables	Not vaccinated (n = 187)	Vaccinated (n = 102)	P value
Any index case of measles	107 (57.2)	54 (52.9)	0.484
Need hospitalization	125 (66.8)	61 (59.8)	0.232
Hospitalization (days), mean ± SD	3.1 ± 2.4	2.3 ± 1.6	0.0081
RCU admission	4 (2.1)	1 (1)	0.47

¹Significant at 0.05 by independent t-test. RCU: Respiratory care unit.

Table 5 Comparison of complications with measles among the study group, according to their vaccination status, n (%)

Complications	Not vaccinated (n = 187)	Vaccinated (n = 102)	P value
Pneumonia	110 (58.8)	39 (38.2)	0.0011
Vomiting	84 (44.9)	46 (45.1)	0.977
Diarrhea	70 (37.4)	23 (22.5)	0.011
Otitis media	13 (7)	18 (17.6)	0.0051
Bronchiolitis	8 (4.3)	4 (3.9)	0.885
Febrile seizure	1 (0.5)	2 (2)	0.253
Encephalitis	3 (1.6)	0 (0)	0.198
Croup	2 (1.1)	0 (0)	0.295
Death2	3 (1.6)	0 (0)	0.198

¹Significant at 0.05 by Pearson’s χ² test.

²Death refers to measles-related mortality.