Jejunal disaccharidases in protein energy malnutrition and recovery
Mehra, R.; Khambadkone, S.M.; Jain, M.K.; Ganapathy, S.
Indian Pediatrics 31(11): 1351-1355
1994
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-6061 PMID: 7896332 Document Number: 430395
The jejunal disaccharidases sucrase, maltase and lactase were estimated in jejunal biopsies obtained from 43 malnourished children and 10 controls. In the study group 63% were girls and 93% had severe malnutrition. Lactase activity was reduced in third and fourth degree malnutrition (P<0.05 and P<0.005, respectively), but maltase activity was reduced only in the fourth degree malnutrition (P<0.01). After recovery, maltase and sucrase activities showed a marginal increase (P=0.06), whereas lactase showed no significant increase. The results indicate that jejunal disaccharidase activity decreases significantly with increasing severity of malnutrition, lactase being the most severely affected and the last to recover.