title: Immunity, transferrin, and survival in kwashiorkor.
abstract: In a study of 40 children with kwashiorkor, serum albumin, transferrin, and immunoglobulin levels were measured. Treatment included chloroquine, pyrimethamine, multivitamins, folic acid, iron compounds, and a high-protein diet. After two weeks the mean serum transferrin values in the children who survived and those who died were 1.30 mg./ml. and 0.33 mg./ml., respectively. Many of the children died immediately after treatment started, and it is suggested that in children with severe kwashiorkor and low serum transferrin levels any increase in free-circulating iron may result in overwhelming infection and death. Thus the appropriate time for instituting iron therapy in such patients should be reconsidered.
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004035:Diet Therapy; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis; D007223:Infant; D007239:Infections / Q000209:etiology; D007501:Iron / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007732:Kwashiorkor / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D011739:Pyrimethamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D014168:Transferrin / Q000032:analysis*; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood; D014815:Vitamins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005719:gamma-Globulins / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D012709:Serum Albumin; D014168:Transferrin; D014815:Vitamins; D005719:gamma-Globulins; D014527:Uric Acid; D002738:Chloroquine; D005492:Folic Acid; D007501:Iron; D011739:Pyrimethamine