Pro-inflammatory cytokines in Turkish children with protein-energy malnutrition.
BACKGROUND
Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) results from food insufficiency as well as from poor social and economic conditions. Development of PEM is due to insufficient nutrition. Children with PEM lose their resistance to infections because of a disordered immune system. It has been reported that the changes occurring in mediators referred to as cytokines in the immune system may be indicators of the disorders associated with PEM.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines in children with PEM, and to find out whether there was an association with the clinical presentation of PEM.


METHODS
The levels of serum total protein, albumin, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin-6 were measured in 25 patients with PEM and in 18 healthy children as a control group. PEM was divided into two groups as kwashiorkor and marasmus. The kwashiorkor group consisted of 15 children and the marasmus group consisted of 10 children.


RESULTS
Levels of serum total protein and albumin of the kwashiorkor group were significantly lower than both the marasmus group and controls (p < 0.05). In view of tumour necrosis factor-alpha levels, there was no difference between groups (p > 0.05). While levels of interleukin-6 in both the marasmus group and the kwashiorkor group were significantly higher compared with controls (p < 0.05), there was no significant difference between the groups of marasmus and kwashiorkor (p > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
It was observed that the inflammatory response had increased in children with malnutrition.
Dülger
Haluk
H
Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Yüzüncü Yil, Tip Fakültesi, Biyokimya Anabilim Dali, Maras Caddesi, 65300 Van, Turkey. halukdulger@yahoo.com
Arik
Mehmet
M
Sekeroğlu
M Ramazan
MR
Tarakçioğlu
Mehmet
M
Noyan
Tevfik
T
Cesur
Yaşar
Y
Balahoroğlu
Ragip
R
D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D001835:Body Weight; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood*; D007732:Kwashiorkor / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D014421:Turkey
D001798:Blood Proteins; D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D012709:Serum Albumin