Blood ammonia level in the edematous group of protein

ABSTRACT

Mental changes and psychological disturbances are striking cardinal features of the edematous group of protein energy malnutrition [PEM]. This work was carried out to study the plasma ammonia level, in addition to determination of plasma proteins, blood urea and some liver function tests in these cases. It included 10 cases [7 kwashiorkor and 3 marasmic-kwashiorkor] with a mean age of 15.2 months and 10 healthy children of comparable age and sex as a control group. All PEM cases had mental and psychological changes in addition to the cardinal manifestations of PEM. Significant hyperammonaemia was a prominent finding in our PEM cases who showed also significantly lower plasma protein and blood urea levels. However, the liver function tests showed no significant changes. With treatment, all the laboratory disturbances revealed back to normal. These findings are discussed