Assessment of protein-energy malnutrition in children with chronic arthritis
Unsal, E.; Büyükgebiz, B.; Cevik, N.
Turkish Journal of Pediatrics 43(3): 191-195
2001
ISSN/ISBN: 0041-4301 PMID: 11592507 Document Number: 536541
Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) has been estimated to occur in 10%-50% of children with juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA). A standardized, 9-parameter comprehensive nutritional assessement profile was used to determine the nutritional status of 38 children (58% males, 42% females; age range: 3-17 years) with JCA [Turkey; date not given]. This was compared with 23 sex- and age-matched healthy children, serving as control subjects. The simple anthropometric measurements, height- and weight-for-age, were abnormal in 30% and 27% of the patients, respectively. A detailed evaluation revealed that 71% had abnormal somatic protein stores. They also had significantly low levels of visceral protein stores when compared to their healthy peers. These results are consistent with the fact that inflammation put the JCA patients at significant risk for developing complicated malnutrition and it may result in PEM without any obvious signs of malnutrition. A nutritional screening test can be very useful in detecting early PEM in children with chronic arthritis.