Abstract:
60 children were admitted to Khartoum and Omdurman Children’s
Emergency Hospitals. Measurement biochemical and haematological parameters
were determined in (20) control, children suffering from diseases except protein
energy malnutrition under five years during the period April-August 2001.
Measurements were determined in (23) with marasmus, (5) with
Kwashiorkor, (12) with marasmic Kwashiorkor syndrome and 20 control.
On admission, Haemoglobin (Hb%), iron (Fe), total protein, albumin,
body weight, protein elctorophoresis, Erythrocyte Sedimnentation Rate (ESR),
mean cell haemoglobin (MCH), Mean Cell Haemoglobin Concentration
(MCHC), Packed Cell Volume (PCV), Red Blood Cell Counts (RBCs), Total
White Blood Cell Counts (TWBCs) and Mean Cell Volume (MCV) serum were
measured also age, mother’s education and father’s income were known in
controls and children suffering from Kwashiorkor, Marasmus and marasmic
Kwashiorkor.
Measurements obtained in this study revealed that Hb%, Fe, Tp, Albumin, Hbg
%, PCV, RBCs, MCHC, MCH and body weight were significantly lower than
the levels of the control children in the three studied groups of protein energy
malnutrition (PEM).
There is evidence that malnourished children are at greater risk for mal-
nutritional and related health problems than the healthy children (control). All
malnourished children were under weight compared with the well-nourished
children.
Socially, it was found that poverty, illiteracy and unhygienic conditions
contributed to the multi-factorial disease of malnutrition.
