Lipids, lipoproteins, and fatty acids during infantile marasmus in the Fesarea of Morocco

The lipid composition of plasma, including total HDL and LDL cholesterol, t riglycerides, apo AI, apo B, and fatty acids was investigated in 29 malnour ished Moroccan children in two groups: 12 children with mild PCM, and 17 wi th severe PCM. Normally nourished children from the same area (n = 15) serv ed as controls. The severe malnourished children showed a significant reduc tion of apo AI, total and LDL cholesterol, and an increase in the levels of triglycerides. Furthermore, these children showed a decrease in the satura ted fatty acids myristic and stearic acid, and a similar decrease in the es sential fatty acid (EFA) metabolites, especially eicosatrienoic acid, arach idonic acid, and eicosapentaenoic acid, with an increase in the oleic and c isvaccenic monounsaturated fatty acids, In contrast, the PCM group showed o nly an increase of docosatetraenoic and docosapentaenoic, with an associate d decrease in myristic acid and palmitic acid, On the other hand, the index es of Delta 9 desaturase and elongase n-3 and n-6 were increased, and this was found to be related to the severity of the malnutrition. These results suggest that the severity of malnutrition is associated with an increase of desaturation and elongation of PUFA, EFA deficiency and/or peroxidation. ( C) 1999 Elsevier, Paris.