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BODY WATER COMPOSITION IN KWASHIORKOR BEFORE AND AFTER LOSS OF EDEMA
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1965
Year
Electrolyte DisorderExcess Body WaterPathologyOxidative StressBody CompositionElectrolyte DisturbanceToxicologyOsmoregulationHealth SciencesSodium HomeostasisWater QualityTotal Body WaterRenal PathophysiologyPotassium HomeostasisHuman PhysiologyBody WaterPhysiologyMetabolismMedicineNephrology
1. Total body water (TBW) estimated by tritium and extracellular water (ECW) estimated by sodium thiosulfate has been measured in 19 cases of kwashiorkor before and immediately after loss of edema. 2. The TBW as a percentage of body weight was increased but changed relatively little as edema was lost (70%-69%). 3. The ECW (thiosulfate space) showed a significant decrease with loss of edema (33%-26%). 4. The intracellular water (TBW-ECW) increased markedly (37%-43%). 5. These results suggest that the edema of kwashiorkor is a phenomenon of mal-distribution of the excess body water between the body compartments and not only an excess accumulation of body water per se.