title: Surface lipid composition in children with protein-calorie malnutrition.
abstract: The composition of skin surface lipid has been measured in a group of 21 children with the diagnosis of marasmic-kwashiokor. When compared to the values for healthy children of comparable age, the squalene content was significantly decreased (3.1% +/- 3.2% versus 9.8% +/- 3.6%) and the squalene/wax ester ratio was also significantly decreased (0.57 +/- 0.55 versus 2.13 +/- 0.91). Measurements of skin surface lipid also were made in five of these children after treatment. The altered values reverted towards normal. Since changes in the squalene content and the squalene/wax ester ratio of skin surface lipid can be correlated with other biochemical changes of protein-calorie malnutrition, the analysis of surface lipid, a procedure that is both convenient and non-invasive, can be of use in determining the nutritional status in field studies of malnourished subjects.
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D002788:Cholesterol Esters / Q000378:metabolism; D005989:Glycerides / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007732:Kwashiorkor / Q000378:metabolism; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013185:Squalene / Q000378:metabolism; D014885:Waxes / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002788:Cholesterol Esters; D005989:Glycerides; D014885:Waxes; D013185:Squalene; D002784:Cholesterol