Jejunal disaccharidase activities in children with marasmus and with kwashiorkor: response to treatment

Eight of 19 malnourished Jamaican children had a jejunal lactase activity below 2 units together with reduced sucrase and maltase levels. Children with kwashiorkor were particularly prone to disaccharidase deficiencies, whereas marasmic children tended to have normal levels. Treatment in hospital for an average of 3 months produced a marked rise in sucrase and maltase activities in both nutritional groups. 7 of the 8 children with lactase responded well to treatment with a rise in lactase activity. It was concluded that protein deficiency rather than genetic factors led to lactase deficience in these young children. (Summary)