Conducting tissue of the heart in kwashiorkor

Abstract

The conducting tissue of the heart was examined histologically in 7 cases of kwashiorkor. Atrophic changes were found, and in 5 cases myocytolysis was present. No cellular reaction or fibrous repair was found in relation to the areas of myocytolysis. These findings may be associated with a disturbance of atrioventricular conduction during life, perhaps accounting for some of the unexplained sudden deaths occurring in children with kwashiorkor.