Characteristics of malnutrition edema

Malnutrition edema may lead to many diseases and is generally caused by the body's inability to take in enough nutrients. We all know that when a person eats very little, it may cause weight loss, but if it lasts too long, it will cause rapid swelling of the body, which is what we call malnutrition edema. This situation requires medical diagnosis. So, what are the characteristics of malnutrition edema?

1. Clinical manifestations

Before edema appears, children already have symptoms of malnutrition, such as delayed growth and development, thin and loose muscles, paleness and weakness, fear of cold, lack of energy or irritability, first bulimia and then anorexia. If the food lacks protein for a long time, edema will gradually appear, but edema may also occur in children with diarrhea in a short period of time, the shortest being only more than ten days.

Edema is the main symptom of this disease, which is symmetrical on both sides and first occurs in the lower limbs, especially on the dorsum of the foot. Patients with a longer course of illness may show significant pitting edema in the thighs, lumbar region, external genitalia, and even the back of the hands and arms. In severe cases, edema may occur in the abdominal wall, face, eyelids, and conjunctiva. Facial edema is mostly puffiness without any sunken phenomenon. The edema of the lower limbs is obvious, which forms a contrast with the emaciation of the chest, back and upper limbs. Ascites and pleural effusion are only occasionally seen in very severe cases.

Mild edema in infancy is often difficult to recognize due to the good elasticity of the skin. You should pay attention to sudden weight gain. An increase of several hundred grams in a day is a reliable sign of edema.

Other symptoms often include general weakness and depression, and a lack of ability to fight infection. The skin becomes dry, cold, scaly, or chicken-skin-like, loses elasticity, is prone to bedsores, and wounds heal slowly. The hair becomes dry, yellow, and falls out easily. Slow nail growth. Decreased urine output. The pulse and blood pressure decrease, and the voltage of each wave of the electrocardiogram is low.

2. Auxiliary examination

1. Low plasma protein, especially low plasma albumin, has the greatest diagnostic value. When edema is severe, the total plasma protein level is usually below 45 g/L (4.5 g/dl), and the plasma albumin level is usually below 20 g/L (2 g/dl). When edema disappears completely, the total plasma protein will reach 55g/L (5.5g/dl) and the plasma albumin will be around 25g/L (2.5g/dl), which can be called the critical level of edema. Plasma globulin levels vary greatly, sometimes normal, sometimes increasing or decreasing. When globulin is increased, it is unreliable to test only total plasma protein. At this time, total plasma protein may be normal, while plasma albumin is below the critical level.

2. Urine examination was normal and protein was negative. As edema worsens, the amount of sodium in the urine decreases.

3. Anemia Due to the lack of protein in the body, both hemoglobin and red blood cells can be reduced, and most children also lack other hematopoietic substances, which aggravates the anemia.