Causes of Kwashiorkor

Kwashiorkor Causes: Book Excerpts

• Causes and incidence - Protein-calorie malnutrition
• Causes - Protein-calorie malnutrition
• Kwashiorkor - etiology - Kwashiorkor

Kwashiorkor as a complication of other conditions:

Other conditions that might have Kwashiorkor as a complication may, potentially, be an underlying cause of Kwashiorkor. Our database lists the following as having Kwashiorkor as a complication of that condition:

• Achalasia
• Alzheimer disease 10
• Alzheimer disease 12
• Alzheimer disease 13
• Alzheimer disease 14
• Alzheimer disease 15
• Alzheimer disease 16
• Alzheimer disease 2, late-onset
• Alzheimer disease 3, (early-onset Alzheimer disease)
• Alzheimer disease 5
• Alzheimer disease 6
• Alzheimer disease 7
• Alzheimer disease 8
• Alzheimer disease 9
• Alzheimer disease, early-onset, with cerebral amyloid angiopathy
• Alzheimer disease, familial, 1
• Alzheimer disease, familial, 11
• Alzheimer disease, familial, 3, with spastic paraparesis and apraxia
• Alzheimer disease, familial, 3, with spastic paraparesis and unusual plaques
• Alzheimer disease, familial, 4
• Autoimmune enteropathy
• Cocaine addiction
• Congenital microvillous atrophy
• Crack addiction
• Dermatomyositis
• Down's Syndrome associated Alzheimer's disease
• Duplication 13
• Early-onset Alzheimer's
• Ecstasy addiction
• Erythrodermic eczema
• Familial Forms of Alzheimer's Disease
• Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis
• Heroin dependence
• Hyperemesis Gravidarum
• Intestinal pseudo-obstruction
• Late-onset Alzheimer's
• Mesenteric artery syndrome
• Mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalopathy syndrome
• Narcotic addiction
• Oesophageal spasm
• Opioid addiction
• Opium addiction
• Polyneuropathy - Ophthalmoplegia - Leukoencehalopathy - Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction
• Prescribed medication addiction
• Right parietal lobe syndrome related Alzheimer's disease
• Short Bowel Syndrome
• Ulcerative colitis
• Whooping Cough

Kwashiorkor as a symptom:

Conditions listing Kwashiorkor as a symptom may also be potential underlying causes of Kwashiorkor. Our database lists the following as having Kwashiorkor as a symptom of that condition:

• Alcoholism
• Amphetamine abuse
• Amyloidosis AL
• Anorexia Nervosa
• Blind loop syndrome
• Boyd-Stearns syndrome
• Brinton disease
• Chylomicron Retention Disease
• Classic galactosemia
• Cocaine fetopathy
• Congenital short bowel
• Congenital sucrose-isomaltose malabsorption
• Cutaneous photosensitivity colitis, lethal
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Diarrhea 2, with Microvillous Atrophy
• Epidermolysis bullosa, junctional
• Finnish nephrosis syndrome
• Follicular hamartoma - alopecia - cystic fibrosis
• Gastrointestinal amyloidosis
• Hereditary amyloidosis
• Hyperemesis Gravidarum
• Intestinal epithelial dysplasia
• Intractable diarrhea with enterocytes assembly abnormalities, congenital, familial
• Juvenile tropical pancreatitis syndrome
• Microsporidiosis
• Obal syndrome
• Opisthorchiasis
• Pancreatic insufficiency
• Pancreatic Islet Cell Cancer
• Patau syndrome
• Rumination disorder
• Sandifer syndrome
• Self Harm
• Short Bowel Syndrome
• Sucrase-isomaltase malabsorption, congenital
• Sucrase-isomaltose malabsorption, congenital

Drug interactions causing Kwashiorkor:

When combined, certain drugs, medications, substances or toxins may react causing Kwashiorkor as a symptom.

The list below is incomplete and various other drugs or substances may cause your symptoms. Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using, including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.

• Chloramphenicol and Acetaminophen interaction
• more interactions...»

Read more about medication causes of Kwashiorkor

Medical news summaries relating to Kwashiorkor:

The following medical news items are relevant to causes of Kwashiorkor:

• Celiac disease more common than thought
• Commonly confused celiac disease
• Hyperemesis symptoms similar to morning sickness
• Operation options for obesity
• Prevention of osteoporosis in cystic fibrosis
• More news »

Related information on causes of Kwashiorkor:

As with all medical conditions, there may be many causal factors. Further relevant information on causes of Kwashiorkor may be found in:

• Risk factors for Kwashiorkor
• Hidden causes of Kwashiorkor

Causes of Kwashiorkor: Online Medical Books

16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the causes of Kwashiorkor.

Protein-calorie malnutrition: Causes and incidence
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

Both kwashiorkor (edematous PCM) and marasmus (nonedematous PCM) are common in underdeveloped countries and in areas in which dietary amino acid content is insufficient to satisfy growth requirements. Kwashiorkor typically occurs at about age 1, after infants are weaned from breast milk to a protein-deficient diet of starchy gruels or sugar water, but it can develop at any time during the formative years. Marasmus affects infants ages 6 to 18 months as a result of breast-feeding failure, or a debilitating condition such as chronic diarrhea.

In industrialized countries, PCM may occur secondary to chronic metabolic disease that decreases protein and calorie intake or absorption, or trauma that increases protein and calorie requirements. In the United States, PCM is estimated to occur to some extent in 50% of elderly people in nursing homes. Those who aren’t allowed anything by mouth for an extended period are at high risk of developing PCM. Conditions that increase protein-calorie requirements include severe burns and injuries, systemic infections, and cancer (accounts for the largest group of hospitalized patients with PCM). Conditions that cause defective utilization of nutrients include malabsorption syndrome, short-bowel syndrome, and Crohn’s disease.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005

Protein-calorie malnutrition: Causes
(Handbook of Diseases)

Both marasmus (nonedematous protein-calorie malnutrition) and kwashiorkor (edematous protein-calorie malnutrition) are common in underdeveloped countries and in areas where dietary amino acid content is insufficient to satisfy growth requirements. Kwashiorkor typically occurs at about age 1, after infants are weaned from breast milk to a protein-deficient diet of starchy gruels or sugar water, but it can develop at any time during the formative years. Marasmus affects infants ages 6 to 18 months as a result of breast-feeding failure or a debilitating condition such as chronic diarrhea.

In industrialized countries, protein-calorie malnutrition may occur secondary to chronic metabolic disease that decreases protein and calorie intake or absorption or trauma that increases protein and calorie requirements. In the United States, protein-calorie malnutrition is estimated to occur to some extent in 50% of surgical and 48% of medical patients. Those who aren’t allowed anything by mouth for an extended period are at high risk for developing protein-calorie malnutrition. Conditions that increase protein-calorie requirements include severe burns and injuries, systemic infections, and cancer (accounts for the largest group of hospitalized patients with protein-calorie malnutrition.) Conditions that cause defective utilization of nutrients include malabsorption syndrome, short-bowel syndrome, and Crohn’s disease.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003

Kwashiorkor: Kwashiorkor - etiology
(The 5-Minute Pediatric Consult)

• Children have relatively high energy and protein requirements per kilogram of body weight.
• Inappropriate use of infant formula or the introduction of bulky carbohydrate-based staple foods which are low in energy density, protein and fat content may lead to PEM.
• Food scarcity from drought or other natural disasters, war or civil disturbance may lead to PEM.
• Aflatoxin poisoning from the fungus Aspergillus flavus has been implicated in the etiology of Kwashiorkor. Aflatoxin concentration has been found to be elevated in the blood and liver of children with Kwashiorkor. Aflatoxins may appear in breast milk.
• Further investigations have shown an association between selenium deficiency and congestive heart failure in Kwashiorkor.

Kwashiorkor - etiology_pathophysiology of-pem-by-systems

• Temperature regulation is impaired, leading to hypothermia in a cold environment and hyperthermia in a hot environment.
• Fluid and electrolytes:
  • Increase in total-body sodium and decrease in total-body potassium
  • Increased cell membrane permeability in Kwashiorkor leads to increased intracellular sodium and decreased intracellular potassium.
  • Increased intracellular sodium is accompanied by increased cellular water.
• Hypophosphatemia is associated with malnutrition and results in high mortality.
• Liver:
  • Protein synthesis is reduced; particularly albumin, transferrin and apolipoprotein B.
  • Hypoalbuminemia reduces colloid osmotic pressure, leading to edema.
  • Hypertriglyceridemia leads to fatty infiltration of the liver.
• Gluconeogenesis is reduced which increases risk of hypoglycemia during infection.
• Cardiovascular system:
  • Pericardial effusion may be present in Kwashiorkor.
  • Reduced cardiac output leads to compromised tissue perfusion and a reduction in renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate.
  • Increase in ferritin stimulates release of antidiuretic hormone and subsequent fluid retention.
• Respiratory system:
  • Reduced muscle mass affects respiratory muscles, such as the diaphragm, and reduces pulmonary function.
  • Respiratory muscle weakness may be exacerbated by hypophosphatemia and hypokalemia.
• GI system:
  • Reduction of gastric acid, intestinal motility and pancreatic digestive enzymes
  • Intestinal mucosa is atrophied resulting in malabsorption
• Endocrine system:
  • Insulin secretion is reduced.
  • Growth hormone secretion is increased while somatomedin activity is reduced.
  • Glucagon, epinephrine and cortisol levels are increased.
  • Increased epinephrine, growth hormone and corticosteroids leads to lipolysis, an increase in free fatty acid concentration and increased peripheral insulin resistance.
• Immune system:
  • All aspects of immune function are deminished in malnutrition.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: The 5-Minute Pediatric Consult, 2008

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