Malnutrition in infancy: changes in muscle and adipose tissue before and after rehabilitation.

TLDR: The significantly reduced protein/DNA and RNA/DNA ratios after rehabilitation suggest either persistent alteration in mechanisms responsible for protein synthesis or a prolonged period necessary for recovery in infants suffering from protein-calorie malnutrition.

Abstract: Extract: In nine infants suffering from protein-calorie malnutrition, significantly low values for muscle mass and cell mass which were proportional were observed. These were 1.02±0.44 kg and 2,295±693 pg, respectively (P < 0.001). The extracellular volume was disproportionally high relative to creatinine excretion before and after rehabilitation. The extracellular volume was disproportionally high relative to creatinine excretion before and after rehabilitation. The major loss of muscle mass was due to loss of cell size rather than cell number. The protein/DNA ratio was 78±18.7 (P<0.001) prior to rehabilitation and 109.6±45.1 (P<0.001) following rehabilitation. The RNA/DNA ratio was low at 0.96±0.26 (P0.001) prior to rehabilitation while after rehabilitation the value increased to 1.24±0.14 but was still less than normal (P<0.01). The levels of Mg and Zn per unit DNA were reduced in muscle prior to rehabilitation. These values were 6.6±0.7 and 35.6±15.8, respectively (P<0.001). The significantly reduced protein/DNA and RNA/DNA ratios after rehabilitation suggest either persistent alteration in mechanisms responsible for protein synthesis or a prolonged period necessary for recovery. Muscle mass of 1.67±0.64 kg was not significantly different from the normal for body length after rehabilitation. The concerntrations of water (39.96±16.99) and collagen (3.86±2.24) in adipose tissue were elevated (P<0.01), while that of fat (50.36±21.87) was low prior to rehabilitation. The noncollagen protein was constant per gram of tissue in marasmus and following rehabilitation. Speculation: Because insulin is intimately related to protein synthesis and the attainment of normall cytoplasmic growth, the persistently poor secretion of insulin during rehabilitation from malnutrition may be responsible for inadequate cytoplasmic growth. Inaulin administered judiciously during the recovery phase may accelerate recovery and insure a return to normal.