Mortality in second and third degree malnutrition.

F Gomez, R Ramos Galvan, S Frenk… - Journal of tropical …, 1956 - cabdirect.org
F Gomez, R Ramos Galvan, S Frenk, J Cravioto Munoz, R Chávez, J Vázquez
Journal of tropical pediatrics, 1956cabdirect.org
Third degree malnutrition is defined as existing when" nutritional reserves are practically
exhausted", weight is not more than 60 per cent. of the average for age, and there are
somatic, functional and psychological changes. The patient must be treated in hospital. An
analysis has been made of the records of 733 children seen between 1949 and 1952, who
had lived on a quantitatively restricted diet of maize, wheat, and beans;. average age 31±17
months; average weight 52±10 per cent. of normal for age; height within 15 per cent. of …
Abstract
Third degree malnutrition is defined as existing when" nutritional reserves are practically exhausted", weight is not more than 60 per cent. of the average for age, and there are somatic, functional and psychological changes. The patient must be treated in hospital.
An analysis has been made of the records of 733 children seen between 1949 and 1952, who had lived on a quantitatively restricted diet of maize, wheat, and beans;. average age 31±17 months; average weight 52±10 per cent. of normal for age; height within 15 per cent. of normal; 71 per cent. had clinical oedema. The incidence of skin lesions is set out in a table which shows that almost all had dry pigmented skin and that the following were significantly more frequent in children with oedema: pellagrous and acute pellagrous erythema, dyskeratotic hyperchromic lesions, lesions desquamating in large or small flaps, hyperpigmentation along the capillary circulation and (although the total incidence was relatively low) perifollicular changes. Seventy per cent. of the children had diarrhoea and 56 per cent. were dehydrated. There was a high incidence of infections and parasitic infestation.
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