RESUMO
Plasma somatomedin-C (pSm-C) was measured by immunoassay in Nigerian malnourished children treated with a mainly vegetable diet. In oedematous children, the mean intake was 4.31ñ0.23 g protein and 611ñ46 kJ per kg body weight per day, and in marasmic children 5.22ñ0.62 g protein and 795ñ131 kJ/kg body weight/d. PSm-C concentration (U/ml) was measured at weekly intervals to determine the response to this rehabilitation diet. By our assay the value for 39 normal children (age range 6-36 months) was 0.315ñ0.035 U/ml. The average initial level of pSm-C in the malnourished children was 0.19ñ0.03 (n=24). The values were higher (P<0.05) in the 7 marasmic children (0.26ñ0.1) than in the 11 with oedema (0.15ñ0.02). Eight days after admission pSm-C had risen to 0.20ñ0.02 (n=24) and at discharge after approximately 19d, pSm-C concentration was normal, 0.30ñ0.05. In oedematous malnutrition, pSm-C level at discharge was lower than in marasmus, 0.27ñ0.06 (n=17) compared with 0.37ñ0.06 (n=7) (P<0.05). Because the childrens' stay in hospital was short (average 19d), they were far from attaining normal weight for height by the time of discharge. However, they had gained on average 0.9 kg and their clinical condition was satisfactory. It is concluded that the vegetable-based diet produced satisfactory recovery, at least in the initial stages. Increases in pSm-C compared well with those found in an earlier study with milk-based diets. (AU)
