Misplaced iron in kwashiorkor.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the presence of radical promoting iron (non-protein-bound or loosely bound or free iron) in the plasma of children with kwashiorkor.

DESIGN

The bleomycin assay was employed for the quantitation of free or loosely bound iron.

SETTING

The Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Cape Town, Tertiary Care.

SUBJECTS

Fifty children on admission with kwashiorkor: six with marasmus and twelve healthy well-nourished controls.

RESULTS

Non-protein-bound iron was detected in the plasma of 58% of children with kwashiorkor but was absent in marasmic and healthy well-nourished children.

CONCLUSIONS

The presence of radical promoting iron supports the hypothesis that a free radical injury probably plays a role in the pathogenesis of kwashiorkor and its removal may improve mortality.