Mg. Sall et al., EFFECTS OF REFEEDING ON SERUM IMMUNOGLOBU LIN CONCENTRATIONS (IGA, IGG, IGM) IN CHILDREN SUFFERING FROM SEVERE PROTEIN-ENERGY MALNUTRITION, Archives de pediatrie, 1(2), 1994, pp. 132-136
Background - Published studies on the serum immunoglobulin concentrati
ons of patients with protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) have been contr
adictory. This report describes such a study in 21 Senegalese children
. Population and methods. - Twenty one Senegalese infants (mean age: 1
9 +/- 2 months) with severe PEM were included in tile study. Their wei
ght was less than 32% of the normal range-for-height and all had spars
e, thin hair and dyspigmentation of the skin. They were all suffering
from hypoproteinemia (less than 70% of normal) and hypoalbuminemia (le
ss that 61% of normal). The presence or absence of edema, loss of subc
utaneous fat and mental changes were used to classify them into three
groups. 1) kwashiorkor: eight infants; 2) marasmus: eight infants: 3)
kwashiorkor plus marasmus: five infants. Tile control group comprised
27 infants living in de same area and having the same dietary habits a
s the 21 sick infants. The 21 infants with malnutrition were refed for
3 weeks with a diet supplying 100-150 Kcal/kg/d and 5-8 g/kg/d protei
n. The plasma concentration of proteins, prealbumin and immumogloblins
was measured on days 0, 8, 15 and 21. Results. - The only significant
change, was in the Ige concentrations of group I, which increased to
normal levels by day 15 as did the total protein and prealbumin. Concl
usion. - Severe PEM can lend to a loss of one class of immumoglobulins
, but this can be restored by refeeding.