What is Kwashiorkor?

What is Kwashiorkor?

• Kwashiorkor: A malnutrition state that is produced by severe protein deficiency.
• Kwashiorkor: A syndrome produced by severe protein deficiency, characterized by retarded growth, changes in skin and hair pigment, edema, and pathologic changes in the liver, including fatty infiltration, necrosis, and fibrosis. The word is a local name in Gold Coast, Africa, meaning "displaced child". Although first reported from Africa, kwashiorkor is now known throughout the world, but mainly in the tropics and subtropics. It is considered to be related to marasmus. (From Dorland, 27th ed)
  Source - Diseases Database
• Kwashiorkor: severe malnutrition in children resulting from a diet excessively high in carbohydrates and low in protein.
  Source - WordNet 2.1

Kwashiorkor: Introduction

Types of Kwashiorkor:

Broader types of Kwashiorkor:

• Nutritional deficiency
• more types...»

How serious is Kwashiorkor?

Complications of Kwashiorkor: see complications of Kwashiorkor

What causes Kwashiorkor?

Causes of Kwashiorkor: see causes of Kwashiorkor
Risk factors for Kwashiorkor: see risk factors for Kwashiorkor

What are the symptoms of Kwashiorkor?

Symptoms of Kwashiorkor: see symptoms of Kwashiorkor

Complications of Kwashiorkor: see complications of Kwashiorkor

Kwashiorkor: Testing

Diagnostic testing: see tests for Kwashiorkor.

Misdiagnosis: see misdiagnosis and Kwashiorkor.

How is it treated?

Treatments for Kwashiorkor: see treatments for Kwashiorkor
Research for Kwashiorkor: see research for Kwashiorkor

Society issues for Kwashiorkor

Hospitalization statistics for Kwashiorkor: The following are statistics from various sources about hospitalizations and Kwashiorkor:

• 0% (4) of hospital consultant episodes were for kwashiorkor in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 25% of hospital consultant episodes for kwashiorkor required hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 0% of hospital consultant episodes for kwashiorkor were for men in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 100% of hospital consultant episodes for kwashiorkor were for women in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• more statistics...»

Organs Affected by Kwashiorkor:

Organs and body systems related to Kwashiorkor include:

• Body

Name and Aliases of Kwashiorkor

Main name of condition: Kwashiorkor

Class of Condition for Kwashiorkor: deficiency

malnutrition

Protein predominant malnutrition Source - Diseases Database

Research the causes of these diseases that are similar to, or related to, Kwashiorkor:

• PEM
• Kwashiorkor
• Malignant malnutrition and infantile pellagra
• Marasmus

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