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Intestinal malabsorption in malnourished children before and during recovery

Relation between severity of protein deficiency and the malabsorption process

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Abstract

Thirty-two protein-calorie malnourished (PCM) children were studied on admission to hospital and throughout recovery. Absorption studies included nitrogen, fat, purified131I-labeled triolein and oleic acid, vitamin A palmitate, glucose,d-xylose, and vitamin B12. Protein depletion was measured by the creatinine/height index (CHI). Severe malabsorption of all substances was present in all severely malnourished children (CHI<0.55). As children became less protein-depleted with nutritional recovery, malabsorption decreased, in the following sequences: absorption of nitrogen,d-xylose, and vitamin A palmitate recovered soon after initiation of therapeutic diets; absorption of fat, purified131I-triolein and-oleic acid, and vitamin B12 recovered slowly and in a highly correlated fashion. Results with both purified131I substrates were identical throughout. The findings of this investigation are compatible with the concept that malabsorption in protein-calorie malnourished children affects mucosal function throughout the gut as a consequence of protein depletion per se.

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This work was supported by the US Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health (Grant AM-0981).

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Viteri, F.E., Flores, J.M., Alvarado, J. et al. Intestinal malabsorption in malnourished children before and during recovery. Digest Dis Sci 18, 201–211 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01071974

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