Question

In Kwashiorkor vitamin and trace mineral deficiencies often occur. For each vitamin or trace mineral describe: i) What is the manifestation of a deficiency in the particular nutrient? ii) Why might this manifestation happen in Kwashiorkor due to the physiological function of the vitamin/mineral?

3a. Iodine

3b. Vitamin A

3c. Iron

Answer 1

kwashiyorker is characterised by ascitis , due to protein defficiency ,retarded growth and development ,apathy ,git irritability ,depigmentation of hair ,dry skin ,anaemia , failure to develop osteones and osteoporosis , flaky paint dermatosis , immunesystem damage , loss of muscle mass ,diarrhoea

3a iodine required for synthesis of thyroid hormone iodine defficiency leads to goitre , may be simple or multinodular , symptoms related to increased metabolic rate and nervous system affected in case of thyrotoxicosis

3bvitamin a functions are production of retinal pigments

maintaining integrity of glandular and epithelial tissue lines skin eyes and organs

support skeltal growth and antiinfective

vitamin a defficiency are predominently occular .ocular manifestations are

nightblindness /inability to see in dimlight

conjuctival xerosis or non wettable conjunctiva

bitots spot /triangular pearly white spot on bulbar conjunctiva on either side of the cornea

corneal xerosis

keratomalacia or liquifaction of cornea leads to blindness

extraocular manifestations are follicular hyperkeratosis ,anorexia and growth retardation

3c functions of iron are formation of hb

regulation of body temperature

muscle activity and catecholamine metabolism

three stages of iron defficiency

first stage characterised by decreased storage of iron without any other detectable abnormalities

an intermediate stage of latent iron defficiency ,iron stores are exhausted ,but no anaemia

third is decrease in concentration of circulating haemoglobin due to impaired synthesis

besides anaemia iron defficiency leads to impaired cell mediated immunity , reduced resistance to infection