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Kwashiorkor

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Alternative Names:

Protein malnutrition; Protein-calorie malnutrition; Malignant malnutrition; Mehlä hrschaden

Symptoms:

• Failure to gain weight and failure of linear growth
• Irritability
• Lethargy or apathy
• Decreased muscle mass
• Swelling (edema)
• Large belly that stick out (protrudes)
• Diarrhea
• Dermatitis
• Changes in skin pigment ; may lose pigment where the skin has peeled away (desquamated) and the skin may darken where it has been irritated or traumatized
• Hair changes -- hair color may change, often lightening or becoming reddish, thin, or brittle
• Iincreased and more severe infections due to damaged immune system
• Shock (late stage)
• Coma (late stage)

Signs and tests:

The physical examination may show an enlarged liver ( hepatomegaly ) and general swelling.

Tests may include:

• Urinalysis
• Serum creatinine
• Creatinine clearance
• BUN
• Serum potassium
• Arterial blood gas
• Total protein levels
• CBC (complete blood count) -- may show anemia

• Review Date: 6/13/2006
• Reviewed By: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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