Liver composition in kwashiorkor and marasmus

Abstract

Livers taken post-mortem from seven children with kwashiorkor, eight with marasmus and eight “apparently well-nourished” were analyzed for water, fat, protein, lipid phosphorus, cholesterol, and ash content. The final causes of death in most cases were diarrhea of unknown etiology and acute bronchopneumonia. The nutritional status was assessed from clinical history, socioeconomic information, and direct examination. Body weight and length, thickness of the abdominal subcutaneous tissue, and weight of the livers were also recorded. The results were expressed on a fresh, dry and fat-free per cent basis. It was found that the chief variable influencing the gross composition of livers in all three types of cases is the amount of fat. The fat-free tissue apparently remains basically unchanged. When the total liver components, taking into account liver weights, are expressed per unit of body length, all the values, with the exception of fat, become similar. The fatty change of the liver is a characteristic feature of kwashiorkor, and it is wholly lacking in marasmus.