Sleep-wake cycle disturbances in protein-energy malnutrition: effect of nutritional rehabilitation

A standard sleep questionnaire was given to the parents of 26 infants with protein-energy malnutrition who underwent polysomnographic evaluation. These investigations were repeated approximately 2 months after enrolment in a nutritional rehabilitation programme based on World Health Organization guidelines. Anthropometric values and serum serotonin levels were also measured. After nutritional rehabilitation there was a significantly higher percentage of non-rapid eye movement [REM] sleep; 2nd REM time, and latency times for sleep and REM sleep increased. Percentages of REM sleep and serum serotonin levels decreased significantly. Protein-energy malnutrition seems to affect the sleep-wake cycle; disturbed serotonin levels may be among the factors responsible

Impact of nutritional rehabilitation on enzymatic antioxidant levels in protein energy malnutrition

To assess the role of enzymatic antioxidants in the pathogenesis of protein energy malnutrition [PEM] and the effect of nutritional rehabilitation, we studied 30 infants with PEM [mean age 10.63 +/- 4.39 months: 10 marasmic; 8 with kwashiorkor; 12 with marasmic kwashiorkor] and 15 controls. All underwent clinical examination and laboratory investigations, including superoxide dismutase [SOD] and glutathione peroxidase [GPx] estimation before and after nutrition rehabilitation. SOD and GPx were significantly lower in all malnourished infants compared to controls, and significantly increased after nutritional rehabilitation. These significant correlations suggest that antioxidants could be introduced during PEM nutritional rehabilitation to decrease morbidity and mortality