title: Severe undernutrition in Jamaica. Kwashiorkor and marasmus: the disease of the weanling.
abstract: The syndromes of severe undernutrition, marasmus and kwashiorkor, have causes related to the interplay of social and medical considerations in the society. Kwashiorkor supervenes when the individual is exposed to a level of stress that exceeds the body's ability to cope. One final common pathway, through which a variety of environmental factors exert an effect, may be associated with oxidant damage to cells. In kwashiorkor there is a severe decrease in the level of both oxidised and reduced glutathione in the red cell. This could be caused by a decreased production, increased consumption or a combination of the two. This is discussed with specific reference to the metabolism of glycine and the possible causal relationship to the pathophysiology of the disease process.
mesh_terms: D003906:Developing Countries; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D005978:Glutathione / Q000097:blood; D005998:Glycine / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007563:Jamaica; D007732:Kwashiorkor / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014886:Weaning
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins; D005978:Glutathione; D005998:Glycine