No evidence of an impaired nutritional status in the early stage of schistosomiasis
De Lorenzo, A.; Andreoli, A.; Di Campli, C.; el Hifni, S.; Kandil, S.; Renganathan, E.
Italian Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology 31(3): 264
1999
ISSN/ISBN: 1125-8055 PMID: 10379491 Document Number: 511006
The nutritional status of 40 male patients with Schistosoma mansoni infection and 31 age-matched healthy controls was evaluated. The patients were divided into 3 groups: early (n=8), intermediate (n=21) and late (n=11). Non-infected and infected subjects were similar in weight and height and had a similar body mass index, but patients were characterized by significantly lower (P<0.001) values of fat mass, arm muscle area, arm fat area, thigh muscle area, thigh fat area, biceps, triceps, subcapsular and suprailiac skinfolds, and sum of skinfolds. Compared with sex- and age-matched controls, heavily infected patients (late stage) presented a significant impairment of energy balance, protein balance and body mass index. Patients in the early stage of infection showed a moderate but not significant decrease in these parameters.