Xerophthalmia, protein-calorie malnutrition, and infections in children.

All children with evidence of xerophthalmia who were admitted to an inpatient facility for treatment of severe protein-calorie malnutrition and its complications were compared to other inpatients with severe PCM but free from signs or symptoms of vitamin A deficiency. Xerophthalmic inpatients were older and had more severe hypoproteinemia than inpatients without eye signs, and were more undernourished by anthropometric criteria than a comparison group matched for age, sex, and type of PCM. Children with more severe eye lesions were more retarded in growth than those with minimal ocular signs. All inpatients had high rates of bacterial infections, regardless of their vitamin status. However, xerophthalmic children had a highly significant increase in the rate of positive urine cultures. Mortality rates were similar in all study groups.