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Urinary free amino acids pattern in protein-energy malnourished sudanese children

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Research in Experimental Medicine

Summary

The urinary free amino acid pattern in a morning urine sample of Sudanese children suffering from kwashiorkor and marasmus were determined before and during the course of treatment up to the 2nd week. The urinary amino acid/total urinary N (3.62) was found to be almost constant for kwashiorkor patients, while the mean for marasmic patients was found to be 27. The concentration of leucine, valine, phenylalanine, methylhistidine, lysine, hydroxylysine andβ-amino-isobutyric acid was elevated in marasmic children, while the concentration of most of these amino acids was at a lower level in kwashiorkor patients. The significance of these differences was discussed in relation to the biochemical detection of these deficiencies in field nutrition surveys.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Nutrition and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Gezira, PO B 20, Wad Medani, Sudan

    A. K. Osman

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  1. A. K. Osman
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Osman, A.K. Urinary free amino acids pattern in protein-energy malnourished sudanese children. Res. Exp. Med. 179, 205–213 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01851617

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01851617

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