title: Misplaced iron in kwashiorkor.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the presence of radical promoting iron (non-protein-bound or loosely bound or free iron) in the plasma of children with kwashiorkor.
  
  
  METHODS
  The bleomycin assay was employed for the quantitation of free or loosely bound iron.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Cape Town, Tertiary Care.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty children on admission with kwashiorkor: six with marasmus and twelve healthy well-nourished controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Non-protein-bound iron was detected in the plasma of 58% of children with kwashiorkor but was absent in marasmic and healthy well-nourished children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of radical promoting iron supports the hypothesis that a free radical injury probably plays a role in the pathogenesis of kwashiorkor and its removal may improve mortality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: W S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Dempster
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Sive
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rosseau
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Malan
authors.forename: H V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Heese
mesh_terms: D001761:Bleomycin; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood*; D007732:Kwashiorkor / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D011485:Protein Binding; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D001761:Bleomycin; D007501:Iron