LIPID AND LIPOPROTEINS LEVELS IN KWASHIORKOR PATIENTS BEFORE AND AFTER TREATMENT

Plasma total cholesterol, triglycerides levels and lipoproteins were s tudied in children with Kwashiorkor (n=17) and healthy controls (n=20) . There were initially low levels of cholesterol and triglycerides whi ch rose with treatment; triglycerides normalised earlier than choleste rol. Some patients' samples showed faintness of lipoprotein bands sepa rated by electrophoresis, but all the alpha, beta and pre-beta bands w ere present in all samples. Moreover, an extra pre-alpha-band appeared in three patients during treatment and disappeared after recovery. Fu rther studies on the composition of this band and its relationship to the changing lipid profile during recovery from Kwashiorkor would be o f interest.