Vitamin E status in Sudanese children with protein-energy malnutrition

Total tocopherols and alpha-tocopherols were estimated in the plasma of children with severe malnutrition (14 marasmus; 11 marasmic kwashiorkor; five kwashiorkor) and related to the total plasma lipids and different plasma lipid classes. If the mere plasma concentrations were taken as an index of the vitamin E status, five children with marasmus, five children with marasmic kwashiorkor, and two children with kwashiorkor would have been regarded as deficient (less than 500 micrograms/dl). However, if total tocopherols and alpha-tocopherols were related to the total plasma lipids, all malnourished children--except one--showed values within the limits found in healthy American children. The study shows that low tocopherol/lipid ratios are not a constant feature in severely malnourished children.

Plasma retinol and tocopherols of breast-feeding Sudanese women

The status of vitamin A and vitamin E has been evaluated in 69 well-nourished breast-feeding Sudanese women of two villages of the irrigated Gezira area. All were consuming local Sudanese food. Plasma retinol, alpha-tocopherol, and total tocopherol were estimated by HPLC. Tocopherol values have been related to total plasma lipids, cholesterol and phospholipids. The plasma retinol concentrations ranged between 29.19-141.37 micrograms/dl (mean 63.01 micrograms/dl). All values are well above 20 micrograms/dl, the lower cut-off point of normal, and reveal a good vitamin A status. The ratio of total tocopherol/total lipids (mg/g) was with 1.35-2.72 far above the lowest normal ratio of 0.60. This means an excellent vitamin E status. Neither the retinol nor the tocopherol values showed a correlation to parity or duration of breast-feeding.

Selenium status in Sudanese children with protein-calorie malnutrition

In 68 Sudanese children with severe protein-energy malnutrition, age 1-4 years, the selenium status was investigated and the results were compared with those of healthy Sudanese and German children. The median selenium content in plasma of healthy Sudanese children (x = 59 micrograms/L) and with those of marasmus (x = 57 micrograms/L) were found to be in the same range. It was lower than in healthy German children (x = 82 micrograms/L). Patients with marasmic kwashiorkor exhibited still lower values (x = 42 micrograms/L. Within each group of malnourished children (marasmus, marasmic kwashiorkor, kwashiorkor) there were patients with low and with "normal" selenium values (taking the values of healthy German children as normal). Hair selenium values were not different between marasmic Sudanese children and healthy German children, probably due to reduced hair growth in malnourished children. Plasma glutathione peroxidase activity was reduced concomitantly with plasma selenium in the patients with protein-calorie malnutrition. There was a good correlation between plasma selenium and plasma glutathione peroxidase activity. A follow-up study showed that plasma selenium decreased during rehabilitation in those patients who had a "normal" value before treatment. This is probably due to the low selenium content of the two dietary formulae used, which contained 18 and 25 micrograms/L Se of formula,. It remains questionable whether the low selenium states and low selenium intake exhibit a healthy risk inhibiting further rehabilitation of the patients with severe protein-calorie malnutrition.

Plasma fatty acid composition of breast-feeding Sudanese women

The status of essential fatty acids has been evaluated in 75 well-nourished Sudanese women of two villages of the irrigated Gezira area. All were consuming local Sudanese food. The fatty acid composition of the plasma cholesterolester and phospholipid fractions was estimated by capillary gas chromatography. Compared to values published from healthy American controls (Holman et al., 1979) their values of linoleic acid, dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid, and arachidonic acid were adequate. Eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid were found to be lower. Trans fatty acids were very low. With increasing levels of linoleic acid in the phospholipid fraction the arachidonic acid levels decreased, thus showing a regulation of the phospholipid arachidonic acid content. The ratio linoleic acid/dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid, reflecting the delta 6-desaturation and the following elongation step, increased with rising linoleic acid values.