Thyroid characteristics in protein-energy malnutrition

ABSTRACT

The thyroid gland of 30 infants aged 6-18 months and died with history of protein-energy malnutrition [marasmus and kwashiorkor] was studied cytologically and compared with the thyroid finding of 15 infants who died from other causes than protein-energy malnutrition. This study was undertaken to throw more light on the effect of protein-energy malnutrition on the cytoarchitectural organization as well as enzymatic pattern of the thyroid gland and to correlate such findings with the hormonal data. The study showed that the diameter of both peripheral and central follicles of malnourished infants was increased in comparison with follicles of normal infants. Also, the height of the follicular epithelium decreased and became flattened. Colloidal material nearly fills the follicular lumina and was intensely stained by eosin and periodic acid Schiff. The cytohistochemical parameters of thyroid gland were decreased [total protein, nucleic acids and glycoproteins]. Both alkaline and acid phosphomonoesterases activities were decreased. Such structural and enzymatic alterations of the thyroid gland may imply considerable malfunction in protein- energy malnutrition