Malnutrition manifestations

In humans, vitamin A deficiency manifests itself in the following ways night blindness, xerophthalmia, Bitot s spots, and corneal involvement and ulceration. Changes in the skin have also been observed. Although vitamin A deficiency is seen in adults, the condition is particularly harmful in the very young. Often, this results from malnutrition (56). 

The answer is D. The most likely diagnosis in this case is CPT-II deficiency, although this is apparently a fairly mild case. The patient s muscle weakness and brown urine (myoglobinuria) are characteristic of this disorder. CPT-I deficiency would most likely manifest as liver dysfunction. A secondary form of carnitine deficiency due to exogenous factors such as malnutrition, infection, or dialysis, is unlikely. MCAD ordinarily manifests within the first 3-5 years of life. The patient s normal stature is inconsistent with Marfan syndrome, which is characterized by tall stature and very long bones in the extremities. 

This formula is used for blood stasis and liver-Qi stagnation in the area below the diaphragm. The manifestations are palpable abdominal masses accompanied by fixed pain, and chronic malnutrition in children. 

Detoxification refers to the clearing of alcohol from the body and the readjustment of all systems to functioning in the absence of alcohol. The alcohol withdrawal syndrome at the mild end may include only headache and irritability, but about 5% of alcoholic patients have severe withdrawal symptoms manifested by tremulousness, tachycardia, perspiration, and even seizures (rum fits). The presence of malnutrition, electrolyte imbalance, or infection increases the possibility of cardiovascular collapse. 

Renal dialysis patients fed semipurified, liquid formulas as a sole nutrition source for 3 weeks showed significantly decreased blood plasma TAC (D6). TAC of blood plasma of children with kwashiorkor, a severe edematous manifestation of malnutrition, was below 50% of that of healthy controls (F4). 

Ascariasis has a worldwide distribution affecting nearly 1000-1300 million people with nearly 20,000 patients dying every year [1,2,26], In addition to the protein-energy malnutrition caused in children, ascariasis is also associated with a series of pathogenic effects. The main clinical manifestations of the disease during migra-... 

Patients with CKD are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease, independent of the etiology of their kidney disease. While a clearly unique pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease specific to CKD has not been identified, it is known that manifestations of kidney disease are contributory. Risk factors for cardiovascular disease in this population include hemodynamic and metabolic abnormalities, as well as hypertension, dyslipidemia, elevated homocysteine levels, anemia, hyperparathyroidism, malnutrition, and oxidative stress. Hypertension induced by volume expansion and increased systemic vascular resistance increases myocardial work and contributes to development of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). Hyperlipidemia may enhance atherogenesis, while some uremic toxins can decrease myocardial contractflity. In addition, uremic toxins can induce pericarditis, a potentially fatal complication. Currently, measures to screen this high-risk population for cardiovascular risk factors are not routine. ... 

There is also a well-established biochemical and clinical relationship between malnutrition and immune function. Alterations in the immune system (Table 136-2) represent an end-organ or functional response to malnutrition and may reflect a decline in lean body mass as well as a deficiency in specific nutrients such as zinc. Clinically, this is manifested as an increased incidence of infection. 

Though less frequently sought, endocrine disturbances form an essential part of the clinical picture in malnutrition. Their importance has been emphasized by Samuels (1948), Zubirdn (1949), and by Gillman and Gillman (1951). The similarity between the clinical manifestations of malnutrition and those of altered endocrine function are evidenced by the frequency of serious sexual disturbances, pigmentations of the skin, lowered metabolic rates, gynecomastia, asthenia, hypotension, and other symptoms which could be attributed to dysfunction of the thyroid, the adrenals, the pituitary, or the gonads in undernourished individuals. 

In an excellent treatise. The Biology of Human Starvation (Keys et al., 1950), it is suggested that perhaps half of mankind suffers from chronic undernourishment. To reach a true understanding of the effects of chronically low food intake on the members of this half of humanity, they themselves must be studied in their normal life situation, in their own mental and social environment, and while under the multiple stress factors to which they are subjected. It may be that the observations here reported approach this objective since they have been made on subjects suffering not from acute starvation but from true chronic malnutrition, and taken from their normal habitat only when their undernourishment was accentuated, or when the clinical manifestations of this undernourishment became evident for one reason or another. 

The pain, dysfunction, disability, and anguish resulting from technical medical intervention now rival the morbidity due to traffic and industrial accidents and even war-related activities, and make the impact of medicine one of the most rapidly spreading epidemics of our time. Amongst murderous institutional torts, only modem malnutrition injures more people than iatrogenic disease in its various manifestations. 

However, despite tremendous interdisciplinary scientific and technological progress, the true and cruel problem of mankind is still open inequality, as manifested by deep and growing socio-economic differences that lead to insufficient education, malnutrition, endemic diseases, and violence. Terrorist tragedies in many places take an immeasurable toll in human lives and destruction, sowing nothing but hatred for the future. 

According to the Social Summit Programme of Action, Poverty has various manifestations, including lack of income and productive resources sufficient to ensure sustainable livelihoods hunger and malnutrition ill health limited access or lack of access to education and other basic services increased morbidity and mortality from illness homelessness and inadequate housing unsafe environments and social discrimination and exclusion. It is also characterized by a lack of participation... 

The effects of protein-energy malnutrition (PEM), and its treatment, on the plasma retinol transport system have been investigated in a large number of studies during the past decade. Patients with PEM have decreased plasma concentrations of RBP, TTR, and vitamin A. Two major factors can contribute to these low plasma concentrations. First, patients with PEM manifest a defective hepatic production of RBP because of a lack of substrate (calories, amino acids from dietary protein) needed for RBP synthesis. Thus, PEM per se is associated with impaired production of RBP and TTR and defective vitamin A mobilization from the liver. Second, however, PEM is often accompanied by inadequate... 

The exposure to uninsured risk causes undesirable welfare outcomes such as consumption (or income) poverty, malnutrition, low education levels, and low life expectancy. The exposure to or manifestation of risks alone may not lead to unacceptable outcomes in well-being. If households have the option to insure against the negative consequences of shocks, risk will have a limited impact on welfare. 

DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS. Chromium deficiency, which is believed to be relatively common in the United States, is manifested by impaired glucose tolerance, which may be accompanied by high blood sugar and the spilling of sugar into the urine. It is seen especially in older persons, in maturity-onset diabetes, and in infants with protein-calorie malnutrition. 

Because animal proteins are in short supply in the developing countries, it has been estimated that 20 to 30% of the children in these countries suffer severe protein- calorie malnutrition, and that it may contribute to as much as 50% of the mortality for this group. Kwashiorkor and marasmus are common manifestations of protein and protein-calorie deficiencies in infants and children. Also, the ability of the human body to produce antibodies (substances that attack specific foreign bodies) is dependent upon an... 

In addition to the vague area of subclinical malnutrition there is another area defined as covert malnutrition . The individual is perfectly well at the given level of nutrient intake until he is stressed his needs are then greater and deficiency manifests itself. 

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