Kwashiorkor
| Kwashiorkor | |
|---|---|
| Specialty | Endocrinology  |
Kwashiorkor /kwɑːʃiˈɔːrkər/ is an acute form of childhood protein-energy malnutrition characterized by edema, irritability, anorexia, ulcerating dermatoses, and an enlarged liver with fatty infiltrates. Sufficient calorie intake, but with insufficient protein consumption, distinguishes it from marasmus. Kwashiorkor cases occur in areas of famine or poor food supply.[1] Cases in the developed world are rare.[2]
Jamaican pediatrician Dr. Cicely Williams introduced the name into the medical community in her 1935 Lancet article.[3] The name is derived from the Ga language of coastal Ghana, translated as "the sickness the baby gets when the new baby comes",[4][citation needed] and reflecting the development of the condition in an older child who has been weaned from the breast when a younger sibling comes.[5] Breast milk contains proteins and amino acids vital to a child's growth. In at-risk populations, kwashiorkor may develop after a mother weans her child from breast milk, replacing it with a diet high in carbohydrates, especially starches, but deficient in protein.
Signs and symptoms
The defining sign of kwashiorkor in a malnourished child is pedal edema (swelling of the ankles and feet). Other signs include a distended abdomen, an enlarged liver with fatty infiltrates, thinning hair, loss of teeth, skin depigmentation and dermatitis. Children with kwashiorkor often develop irritability and anorexia.
Victims of kwashiorkor fail to produce antibodies following vaccination against diseases, including diphtheria and typhoid.[6] Generally, the disease can be treated by adding protein to the diet; however, it can have a long-term impact on a child's physical and mental development, and in severe cases may lead to death.
In dry climates, marasmus is the more frequent disease associated with malnutrition. Another malnutrition syndrome includes cachexia, although it is often caused by underlying illnesses. These are important considerations in the treatment of the patients.
Causes
Kwashiorkor is a severe form of malnutrition. The cause is due to a deficiency in dietary protein. The extreme lack of protein causes an osmotic imbalance in the gastro-intestinal system causing swelling of the gut diagnosed as an edema or retention of water. [8].
The low protein intake leads to some specific signs: edema of the hands and feet, irritability, anorexia, a desquamative rash, hair discolouration, and a large fatty liver. The typical swollen abdomen is due to two causes: ascites because of hypoalbuminemia (low oncotic pressure), and enlarged fatty liver.[9]
Ignorance of nutrition can be a cause. Dr. Latham, director of the Program in International Nutrition at Cornell University, along with Keith Rosenberg cited a case where parents who fed their child cassava failed to recognize malnutrition because of the edema caused by the syndrome and insisted the child was well-nourished despite the lack of dietary protein.[citation needed]
Protein should be supplied only for anabolic purposes. The catabolic needs should be satisfied with carbohydrate and fat. Protein catabolism involves the urea cycle, which is located in the liver and can easily overwhelm the capacity of an already damaged organ. The resulting liver failure can be fatal. This means in patients suffering from kwashiorkor, protein must be introduced back into the diet gradually.
See also
References
- ^ Krebs NF, Primak LE, Hambridge KM. Normal childhood nutrition & its disorders. In: Current Pediatric Diagnosis & Treatment. McGraw-Hill.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Liu, Theodore; Howard, Renée M.; Mancini, Anthony J.; Weston, William L.; Paller, Amy S.; Drolet, Beth A.; Esterly, Nancy B.; Levy, Moise L.; Schachner, Lawrence (2001). "Kwashiorkor in the United States: Fad Diets, Perceived and True Milk Allergy, and Nutritional Ignorance". Archives of Dermatology. 137 (5): 630–6. PMID 11346341.
- ^ Williams, Cicely (1935). "Kwashiorkor". The Lancet. 226 (5855): 1151. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(00)94666-X.
- ^ "Jamaica Gleaner : Pieces of the Past: A Pioneer, A Survivor: Dr. Cicely Williams". "... she asked an African nurse if it had a name. She learned it was called "kwashiorkor" meaning the sickness the older child gets when the next baby is born. Cicely surmised that this meant that weanling children were not receiving enough to eat". Retrieved 2009-12-27.
- ^ "Merriam Webster Dictionary". Retrieved 2009-04-05.
- ^ Pretorius, PJ; De Villiers, LS (1962). "Antibody response in children with protein malnutrition". The American journal of clinical nutrition. 10: 379–83. PMID 14037411.
- ^ "Mortality and Burden of Disease Estimates for WHO Member States in 2002" (xls). World Health Organization. 2002.
- ^ Williams, Cicely (1935). "Kwashiorkor". The Lancet. 226 (5855): 1151. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(00)94666-X.
- ^ Tierney, Emily P. (1 May 2010). "Kwashiorkor from a severe dietary restriction in an 8-month infant in suburban Detroit, Michigan: case report and review of the literature". International Journal of Dermatology. 49 (5): 500–506. doi:10.1111/j.1365-4632.2010.04253.x.
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