Jejunal disaccharidases in protein energy malnutrition and recovery.
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1994-11-01
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Abstract
The jejunal disaccharidases, sucrase, maltase and lactase, were determined in jejunal biopsies obtained from 43 malnourished children and 10 controls. In the study group, 63% were girls and 93% had severe malnutrition. Lactase activity was significantly reduced in third and fourth degree malnutrition (p < 0.05 and p < 0.005, respectively), but maltase activity was significantly reduced only in the fourth degree malnutrition (p < 0.01). After recovery, maltase and sucrase activities showed a marginally significant increase (p = 0.06), where lactase showed no significant increase (p > 0.05). We conclude that jejunal disaccharidase activity decreases significantly with increasing severity of malnutrition, lactase being the most severely affected and the last to recover.
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Mehra R, Khambadkone SM, Jain MK, Ganapathy S. Jejunal disaccharidases in protein energy malnutrition and recovery. Indian Pediatrics. 1994 Nov; 31(11): 1351-5