Chandra Mohan Kumar, Shweta Singh.
Assessing protein energy malnutrition in children: biochemical markers serum total protein, serum albumin and serum protein electrophoresis.
Pak Paed J Jan ;37(4):236-42.

Introduction: Protein Energy Malnutrition (PEM) is a global problem among children. Worldwide 27% under five children are malnourished. PEM is more prevalent in India where almost half (47%) the children are underweight. Assessment of PEM has traditionally been clinical which is time consuming and skill dependent, with considerable inter-observer variability. Hence, biochemical markers like serum protein and albumin measurements may be used for the assessment of nutritional status. At the same time, there is a controversy, whether edema can be considered as a reliable clinical marker of hypoalbuminemia. Readily available and reliable tests and can often detect nutritional deficiencies before they have an adverse effect on biological functions and certainly before deficiencies can be detected by physical examination. Aims and Objectives: The study was designed to assess PEM in children using biochemical markers like serum protein, albumin and protein electrophoresis and establishing a correlation between edema and hypoalbuminemia. Materials and Methods: This analytical case control study was done in the Narayana Medical College and Hospital from September 2007 to September 2009. The material for the study consisted of 50 cases of PEM and 20 normal healthy children. Result: In PEM cases, total protein and serum albumin were found to be significantly lower in comparison to normal healthy controls. Thus total protein and serum albumin may become useful indicators of the nutritional status of the malnourished children and good markers of PEM. Albumin and beta fractions of Serum Protein Electrophoresis were significantly lower while alpha1, alpha 2 and gamma globulin fractions were significantly higher in malnourished children in comparison to controls.

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