From Kwashiorkor to Edematous Malnutrition.

of the children, respectively. The frequency of vitamin A deficiency in the Kabul series (11.2%) was much lower than in the Hyderabad series (32.6%). The authors attributed this to prolonged breastfeeding, which would have helped meet the children’s vitamin A requirements. Prevalence of vitamin B complex deficiency was also lower in the Kabul series (22.2%) as compared to the Hyderabad series (32%); a likely explanation for the higher incidence of skin lesions (55%) in the latter. In concordance with the Hyderabad series, the Kabul series found low mean serum protein (4.54 g/dL) and albumin (1.86 g/ dL) levels while serum globulin (2.68 g/ dL) levels were relatively high. Thus, the study highlighted the spectrum of clinical and biochemical profile in kwashiorkor and the associated regional variations, though the precise etiopathogenesis remained to be unravelled.