HYPOGLYCÆMIA IN CHILDREN WITH KWASHIORKOR

Abstract

Blood-glucose homœostasis was found to be impaired in kwashiorkor, resulting in both high and low levels of blood-glucose. Moderate hypoglycæmia was a common feature of this impairment, but seemed to be of little clinical significance if the blood-glucose level remained above 20 mg. per 100 ml. Profound hypoglycæmia with symptoms seemed a quite different phenomenon: it was rare, but was uniformly fatal and it occurred as part of a clinical tetrad of hypoglycæmia, hypothermia, coma, and severe bacterial and parasitic infection. The distinction between these two hypoglycæmic states in kwashiorkor may account for some of the discrepancies in previous accounts of the incidence and clinical significance of hypoglycæmia in this disease. The distinction is also important therapeutically. © 1970.