[The behavior of prealbumin, retinol binding protein and the immunoglobulins during 3 weeks of nutritional rehabilitation].

A significant improvement in the protein status of twelve malnourished geriatric patients was achieved during a three-week daily supplementation of the hospital diet by 9 g essential amino acids (eight classical essential amino acids plus histidine). This was especially evident in the doubled serum concentration of prealbumin and retinol-binding protein. The changes of total serum protein and hemoglobin were much less distinct. The immunoglobulins IgA, IgM and IgG remained unchanged for the entire observation period.