The relationship between intracellular and extracellular potassium in normal and malnourished subjects as studied in leukocytes

ABSTRACT

Leukocyte potassium has been measured in normal subjects and in malnourished children with and without edema both on admission and during recovery. In nonedematous malnourished children the potassium content was low (328mmol/kg dry solids) and took 2-3 weeks of rehabilitation to return to normal (374 mmol/kg dry solids). Leukocytes from edematous children had normal intracellular potassium values. However, 5 days on a maintenance diet reduced the intracellular potassium in the children with kwashiorkor to a value similar to that found in marasmus. Plasma potassium was significantly lower in kwashiorkor (3.43) than in marasmus (4.74). The relationship between external potassium and internal potassium in normal leukocytes was measured (fig.1) and the values found severe malnutrition compared with normal. It was found that in nonedematous malnutrition intracellular potassium was low compared to the predicted value, whereas in kwashiorkor, although the mean values were normal, no relationship between external potassium and intracellular potassium could be demonstrated. It is concluded that in the leukocyte malnutrition alters either the passive permeability of the membrane to potassium or the active transport of potassium of both.(AU)