Relationship between muscle potassium and body potassium in infants with malnutrition

ABSTRACT

Specimens of muscle were obtained with a biopsy needle from 23 Jamaican children who were recovering from malnutrition. The samples were analysed for water, fat, nitrogen, and potassium, total body potassium was also measured. Muscle water is increased, but potassium concentration declines in malnutrition. A significant relationship exists between the depletions of muscle potassium and of total body potassium in malnourished infants. Analysis of muscle biopsy samples may lead to a better understanding of the response of tissue to protein depletion at the cellular level (Summary)