Serum transferrin levels in children with protein-energy malnutrition
Journal Title: Dicle Tıp Dergisi - Year 2013, Vol 40, Issue 1
Abstract
Objective: Although the diagnosis of patients with severe malnutrition is easy, it is very difficult to recognize patients with mild and moderate malnutrition. A variety of methods attempts to develop for early diagnosis of these cases. In this study, we evaluated the serum transferrin and albumin levels in children with mild, moderate and severe protein-energy malnutrition (PEM). Materials and methods: Children admitted to our policlinic, aged between 3 and 25 months, 45 subjects with PEM and 39 healthy subjects (control group) were evaluated. According to the Gomez, Waterlow and Kanawati subjects with PEM were divided in 3 subgroups mild, moderate and severe PEM. Anthropometric measurements and biochemical results of 4 groups were compared. Results: For albumin levels in mild to moderate PEM groups, 37.7% sensitivity, and 28.5% specificity, positive predictive value 54%; negative predictive value 16.6% was found. For severe PEM sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 71%, 62.5%, 45%, and 83.3% respectively. With respect to the levels of transferrin, a significant difference was found between mild PEM-control and moderate PEM-control groups (p<0.05). There was no significant difference between the other groups (p>0.05). Conclusion: Our study results showed that albumin is a weak indicator in mild-moderate PEM. In these cases, serum transferrin level reduces before decreasing of albumin level, thus it may be an early sensitive finding that can be used as a sensitive parameter in the diagnosis of early stages of malnutrition. Key words: Protein energy malnutrition, children, albumin, transferrin
Authors and Affiliations
Selime Aydoğdu, Şirin Güven, Ahmet Yazar, Kahraman Yakut
Conjoined lumbosacral nerve roots
Lumbosacral nerve root anomalies are a rare group of congenital anatomical anomalies. Various types of anomalies of the lumbosacral nerve roots have been documented in the available international literature. Tthese a...
A rare cause of bilateral and recurrent facial palsy: Melkersson-Rosenthal sendromu
Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome is a granulomatous disease which is characterized by the triad of recurrent peripheral facial palsy, orofacial edema, and fissured tongue. In this article we presented one case who, since c...
Karaciğer sirozlu hastada Campylobacter jejuni subsp. jejuni’ye bağlı bakteriyemi: Olgu sunumu
Campylobacter türleri Gram negatif, sporsuz, kapsülsüz ve oksidaz pozitif bakterilerdir. Bunlar arasında insan ve hayvanlarda en çok enfeksiyon oluşturan türler Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter fetus ve Campylobact...
Listeria monocytogenes serotip 4b’ye bağlı neonatal sepsis: Bir olgu ve literatür derlemesi
Listeria monocytogenes çoğunlukla yenidoğanlar ve hamileler gibi immün yanıtı bozuk olan hastalarda enfeksiyona yol açmaktadır. İnsan enfeksiyonlarında ve gıda salgınlarının çoğunluğunda sorumlu serotipler 1/2a, 1/2b ve...
Skin prick test results of atopic asthmatic subjects in a chest disease clinic in Sanliurfa
Objective: Skin prick test (SPT) is used widely to determine the allergens in atopic patients. In this study, we aimed to determine the spectrum of aeroallergen sensitivity of atopic asthmatic subjects in Şanlıurfa dist...