ABSTRACT
The great killers in the developing countries are the classical contagious diseases and diarrhoea. The high incidence of these diseases is mainly due to the enormously increased exposure to infectious agents in a milieu of incredibly low hygienic standards. Malnutrition on the other hand, is responsible for the long duration and the often malignant course of these diseases. Undermined immunity in malnutrition may lead to septicaemia. Diarrhoea, besides the danger of hyponatraemia, hypokalaemia, acceleration of the wasting process may lead to hypovolaemic shock. Other types of circulatory disturbance are caused by very low serum albumin values, by the overloading of the wasted heart by fluid, by hight salt or calorie intake. Further dangers are hypoglycaemia and hypothermia. The briefly summarized dangers can rather exceptionally also be encountered in the advanced countries. Malnutrition in these parts of the world is brought about by organic diseases, by intractable diarrhoea or by psychologic disturbances.
Subject(s)
Nutrition Disorders/mortality , Age Factors , Child , Child, Preschool , Developing Countries , Diarrhea, Infantile/mortality , Humans , Protein-Energy Malnutrition/mortalityABSTRACT
Serum somatomedin activity was found to be very low in cases of growth retardation and malnutrition due to congenital heart disease and to malabsorption, respectively. Growth hormone levels in these cases were slightly elevated. The possible role of low somatomedin activity in the origin of growth retardation due to organic diseases is discussed.
Subject(s)
Growth Disorders/blood , Growth Hormone/blood , Heart Defects, Congenital/complications , Malabsorption Syndromes/complications , Somatomedins/blood , Adolescent , Body Height , Body Weight , Celiac Disease/complications , Child , Child, Preschool , Growth Disorders/etiology , Humans , Infant , Infant, NewbornSubject(s)
Digestive System Physiological Phenomena , Gastrointestinal Diseases , Water-Electrolyte Balance , Absorption , Adolescent , Adult , Bile/metabolism , Chlorides/physiology , Cholera/physiopathology , Diarrhea/complications , Diarrhea/physiopathology , Diarrhea, Infantile/physiopathology , Eating , Extracellular Space/metabolism , Feces , Gastric Juice/metabolism , Gastrointestinal Diseases/physiopathology , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Intestinal Absorption , Nutrition Disorders/complications , Pancreatic Juice/metabolism , Potassium/physiology , Rheology , Saliva/metabolism , Sodium/physiology , Vomiting/physiopathology , Water/metabolismABSTRACT
Serum insulin (IRI) values during the oral glucose tolerance test were studied in 79 infants and children. Conspicuously and significantly lower IRI levels were observed in the age group of half to two years of age, while the highest levels occurred in children aged 6-14 years. The fall in free fatty acid level was more pronounced in the older age groups. While the cause and significance of these age-bound peculiarities could not be clarified, they have to be taken into consideration in the assessment of pathologic conditions.
