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Free catecholamine excretion in the urine in normal infants and in those with marasmus or kwashiorkor

G G Graham, R P Placko

    The Journal of Pediatrics
    |June 1, 1975
    PubMed

    Insights

    Free catecholamine excretion in infants with malnutrition was similar to healthy infants, except in cases of severe infection. Rehabilitation normalized catecholamine levels in marasmic infants.

    Area of Science:

    • Pediatric Endocrinology
    • Nutritional Science
    • Biochemistry

    Background:

    • Free catecholamine (epinephrine + norepinephrine) levels are crucial indicators of physiological stress and metabolic status in infants.
    • Malnutrition, such as marasmus and marasmic kwashiorkor, significantly impacts infant physiology and stress responses.
    • Understanding catecholamine excretion patterns in malnourished infants is vital for assessing their health and response to treatment.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To measure and compare free catecholamine (epinephrine + norepinephrine) excretions in normal male infants and infants with marasmus or marasmic kwashiorkor.
    • To assess the impact of partial rehabilitation on catecholamine excretion in malnourished infants.
    • To investigate age-related differences and the influence of infection on catecholamine levels.

    Main Methods:

    • Collected 24-hour urine samples over three consecutive days from normal infants (2.1-18.5 months) and malnourished infants (marasmus, marasmic kwashiorkor) upon admission and after partial rehabilitation.
    • Measured free catecholamine (epinephrine + norepinephrine) concentrations using biochemical assays.
    • Normalized catecholamine excretion to body surface area (mug/m-2/day) for age-group comparisons.

    Main Results:

    • Normal infants showed increased catecholamine excretion with age, but not significantly when adjusted for surface area.
    • Marasmic infants' admission catecholamine excretions were similar to controls, with higher values in those with severe infection.
    • Marasmic infants' excretions normalized after partial rehabilitation; marasmic kwashiorkor infants showed no difference from controls unless severely infected.

    Conclusions:

    • Free catecholamine excretion is not significantly different in infants with marasmus or marasmic kwashiorkor compared to healthy infants, except in cases of severe infection.
    • Partial rehabilitation effectively normalized catecholamine excretion in marasmic infants.
    • Day-to-day variation in catecholamine excretion was more pronounced at admission in malnourished infants, particularly those with severe infections.

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