Xerophthalmia in protein calorie malnutrition
Sethi, R.S.; Jain, B.S.; Shankar, P.
Indian Pediatrics 25(3): 249-254
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-6061 PMID: 3148555 Document Number: 326056
Xerophthalmia was assessed in ninety four children suffering from various grades of protein calorie malnutrition (PCM). Total serum protein, albumin and globulin was assessed in all the cases. Xerophthalmia was observed in 82% cases. Higher incidence was seen in males, in children below 5 years of age and in severe forms of PCM. Features of Grade-IV xerophthalmia were observed only in Grade-IV malnutrition, suggesting a relationship of severity of PCM to the severity of xerophthalmia. The total serum proteins and albumin were also significantly low only in xerophthalmic cases, while serum globulin levels showed no significant difference between the two groups.