Clinical significance of serum transcobalamins in Protein-energy malnutrition

Abstract

The serum concentrations of Unsaturated Vitamin B 12 binding (UBBC) capacity and the three individual transcobalamins were measured in 34 malnourished children aged 9 months-5 y. Levels of serum vitamin B 12, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, albumin and total proteins were also estimated. The serum UBBC, Transcobalamin I (TC I), Transcobalamin III (TC III), vitamin B 12 and the enzyme activities were significantly higher in the kwashiorkor children when compared with both the marasmic and control children. There was also a marked reduction of serum Transcobalamin II (TC II), albumin and total proteins in the kwashiorkor children. In contrast with kwashiorkor, there was a slight increase of serum TC II in the marasmic children. Their serum UBBC, TC I, TC III and B 12 were also raised but not as high as in kwashiorkor. These results are discussed in the light of the hepatic dysfunction in kwashiorkor affecting the production of TC II in the liver, while the elevated serum B 12 in Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) may be due to both hepatic damage and intensified release of TC I as a result of infection.