ABSTRACT

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