Plasma free carnitine levels in children with malnutrition.
In this study, plasma free carnitine and albumin levels were measured in children with protein-energy malnutrition (PEM). A total of 71 children with malnutrition were studied. The control group consisted of 20 healthy children. The mean plasma carnitine level was 78.4 +/- 1.94 nmol/ml in the control group. Marasmus and kwashiorkor patients displayed lower plasma free carnitine values, which were found to be statistically significant when compared to those of the control (P < 0.001). However, the values were significantly lower in kwashiorkor patients than in marasmic cases (29.7 > 5.46). There was no correlation between serum albumin and free carnitine levels in cases with kwashiorkor.
Department of Pediatrics, Cumhuriyet University Faculty of Medicine, Sivas.
F
F
Tanzer
S
S
Uzunsel
A
A
Atalay
D002331:Carnitine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007732:Kwashiorkor / Q000097:blood; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000097:blood*; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis*
D012709:Serum Albumin; D002331:Carnitine