Serum complement levels in malnourished children
Jagadeesan, V.; Reddy, V.
Indian Journal of Medical Research 70: 745-749
1979
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-5340 PMID: 119709 Document Number: 153718
Of 161 children 2 to 10 years old, selected from those attending a paediatric clinic in Hyderabad, 13 were 'normal', with weights over 80% of the standard, 8 were 'undernourished' with weights 60 to 80% of the standard, 18 had clinical signs of kwashiorkor, 8 had signs of marasmus, 6 were anaemic (haemoglobin less than 11 g/100 ml), 14 had signs of vitamin A deficiency and 19 had signs of vitamin B complex deficiency. There were significant differences between the normal group and the kwashiorkor and anaemic groups in total haemolytic complement (CH50) and C3 in serum. For the marasmic group, the difference was significant for CH50 only; for the other malnourished groups, differences from the normal group were not significant. The subnormal values in the 2 malnourished groups were restored by nutritional rehabilitation and in the anaemic group by iron treatment.