Si. Salem et Am. Ayad, EXTRACELLULAR PROTECTIVE MECHANISMS AGAINST EXCESS FREE-RADICALS IN PROTEIN ENERGY-MALNOURISHED CHILDREN, Journal of clinical biochemistry and nutrition, 16(3), 1994, pp. 193-200
In this study the level of some of the extracellular antioxidant prote
ins were investigated in 14 marasmic (M), 19 kwashiorkor (KWO), and 9
healthy children. Weight/age (W/A) and length/age (H/A) were assessed
for each child. Serum level of each of ferritin, transferrin, cerulopl
asmin, haptoglobin, hemopexin, and albumin were determined. W/A and H/
A z-scores for both M and KWO children were less than -4.0, whereas th
ose for healthy children were normal for weight (< -1.65) but less tha
n -2.0 for the length. Mean serum ferritin level was significantly inc
reased above the normal level for both M and KWO groups. Mean serum le
vels of the other five proteins were significantly reduced in KWO chil
dren. In M children, the mean level of each of transferrin, ceruloplas
min, and albumin was reduced but was still significantly higher than t
hat in KWO children. By Pearson correlation analysis, serum albumin in
both M and KWO children was highly significantly correlated with weig
ht as well as with each of serum transferrin, ceruloplasmin, hemopexin
, and haptoglobin.