Chemically defined diet in the treatment of kwashiorkor.

Kwashkorkor is associated with malabsorption of energy and nutrients. Standard diets often initiate diarrhea and a high mortality is still prevalent. A synthetic monomolecular formula has been evaluated and compared with a standard diet in the early rehabilitation phase of 21 children with kwashiorkor. The formula group had significantly less vomiting and reached minimum weight faster than the group on standard diet. Weight gain and diarrhea were similar. The rise of albumin and BUN was faster on standard diet. A significant increase in haemoglobin was seen only in the formula group. A rise in body temperature after a meal was evident in most patients and significantly more pronounced in the formula group. The lower total nitrogen content of the formula may explain the observed slower rise in albumin and BUN but the ready utilization was indicated by the favourable weight changes as well as the rise in rectal temperature. As high energy per volume was desirable the formula was not diluted to isoosmolality. However, the high glucose concentration in the experimental diet probably caused some negative effects.