title: Jejunal disaccharidases in protein energy malnutrition and recovery.
abstract: The jejunal disaccharidases, sucrase, maltase and lactase, were determined in jejunal biopsies obtained from 43 malnourished children and 10 controls. In the study group, 63% were girls and 93% had severe malnutrition. Lactase activity was significantly reduced in third and fourth degree malnutrition (p < 0.05 and p < 0.005, respectively), but maltase activity was significantly reduced only in the fourth degree malnutrition (p < 0.01). After recovery, maltase and sucrase activities showed a marginally significant increase (p = 0.06), where lactase showed no significant increase (p > 0.05). We conclude that jejunal disaccharidase activity decreases significantly with increasing severity of malnutrition, lactase being the most severely affected and the last to recover.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, K.E.M. Hospital, Parel Bombay.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mehra
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Khambadkone
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ganapathy
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000201:enzymology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007583:Jejunum / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000201:enzymology*; D013393:Sucrase / Q000378:metabolism*; D000520:alpha-Glucosidases / Q000378:metabolism*; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000520:alpha-Glucosidases; D001616:beta-Galactosidase; D013393:Sucrase