Original Article

The serum total protein, albumin, transferrin, prealbumin and retinol-binding protein Levels in patients with protein-energy malnutrition

  • Sembol Türkmen
  • Güvenç Güvenen
  • Serdar Erkal
  • Yüksel Heral
  • Serpil Akyüz

İstanbul Med J 1999;3(1):15-20

Protein-energy malnutrition has been defined as a range of pathological conditions arising from coincident Zack, in varying proportions of protein and calories, occuring most frequently in infants and young children of devetoping countries. The prognosis of protein-energy malnutrition is often difficult to assess on elinical grounds alone, and various attempts have been made to find an accurate biochemical index. In our study serum total protein, albumin, transferrin, prealbumin and retinol-binding protein concentrations were determined on 32 noninfected infants with protein-energy malnutrition. Among these only serum albumin and transferrin and prealbumin concentrations were significantly decreased in the malnourished infants (n= 32) compared to healthy controls (n= 20) (p

Keywords: Protein energy malnutrition, Albumin, Tranferrin, Prealbumin, Retinol binding protein