Exam II Flashcards
Nutrition: Energy comes from carbs, fats, and proteins for daily metabolic needs, while vitamins and minerals function as coenzymes or hormones in vital metabolic pathways.
Malnutrition occurs when there is an insufficiency in the diet. Differentiate between primary and secondary malnutrition
- Primary
- -one or all components missing from diet - Secondary
- -malabsorption
- -impaired use or storage
- -excess loss
- -inc. need for nutrients
Nutrition: Several conditions may contribute to malnutrition including:
- poverty/homelessness
- older patients
- children
- trace nutrient deficiencies
- self-imposed dietary restrictions (anorexia)
- failure of supplementation (infants, pregnancy)
Infection and illness can also play a role in malnutrition. Explain their roles
- Infection
- -contribute to or casues - Acute/Chronic illness
–accelerates basal metabolic rate
–increases daily requirements
“sick” people less likely to eat (effect of acute phase release)
Nutrition: Chronic alcoholism is a major contributor to malnutrition as it results in:
a. vit. deficiencies (thiamine, pyridoxine, folate, Vit. A)
b. defective GI absorption
c. abnormal nutrient utilization and storage
d. increased metabolic needs
All of the above
AND:
- increased rate of loss
- -irreversible brain damage (Wernicke encephalopathy; Korsakoff psychosis)
Nutrition: Protein energy malnutrition (PEM) is a lethal disease that MC affects children. It may either result from inadequate intake of proteins/calories OR from deficiencies in the digestion or absorption of proteins.
What can PEM lead to?
a. loss of fat and muscle
b. weight loss
c. lethargy
d. generalized weakness
all of the above
- reduced heart and lung capacity
- dec. metabolic rate
- edema, immunodeficiency, etc.
Nutrition: True/False - PEM is common in low resource countries. It is the major factor for high death rates among children younger than 5 y/o in these countries. However, in developed countries, it often occurs in older, debilitated patients or children who live in poverty.
True
Nutrition: Malnutrition is determined based on BMI (weight in kg/height m2).
What indicates malnutrition?
- BMI < 16kg/m2 (normal 18.5-25)
- weight , 80% of normal
* weight loss may be masked by edema (e.g. Kwashiorkor) - evaluation of fat stores (thickness of skin folds)
- muscle mass (reduced circumference of mid arm)
Nutrition: Plasma proteins may be another key in identifying malnutrition. Albumin and transferrin levels provide a measure of the adequacy of the visceral protein compartment.
What other proteins might be useful in determining malnutrition?
pre-albumin (tranthyyrein); C-reactive protein
Nutrition: Marasmus and Kwashiorkor affect malnourished children. They can present as a range of clinical syndromes, but are characterized by a dietary intake of protein and calories that inadequately meet the body’s needs.
These disorders indicate depletion of different protein compartments in the body. Distinguish b/t the two
- Marasmus
–protein in SK muscles
(somatic compartment) - Kwashiorkor
–protein in viscera (liver)
(visceral compartment)
Nutrition: ______ is suspected when:
- weight < 60% of normal (sex, age, height)
- restricted growth
- loss of muscle (catabolism of somatic compartment)
- mobilization of subcutaneous fat (used as fuel)
Marasmus
- aa’s = source of energy
- visceral compartment = precious, marginally depleted
- plasma albumin = normal or slightly reduced
Nutrition: In children with marasmus, production of leptin is low. This may stimulate the HPA axis to produce high levels of ______ contributing to lipolysis
cortisol
**Buzzword for marasmus: Muscle wasting
Nutrition: Children with marasmus appear emaciated due to significant loss of muscle and subcutaneous fat.
Other common signs/symptoms include which of the following?
a. enlarged head
b. anemia
c. immune deficiencies
all of the above
- large head
- anemia
- Vit. deficiencies
- immune deficiencies (T-cell) = inc. infection, inc. nutritional demands
Nutrition: Kwashiorkor is characterized by protein deprivation (more severe than caloric deficits). It is most commonly seen in African children who have been weaned too early and subsequently fed a carbohydrate diet.
Less severe forms may occur worldwide. What are examples of this (clinical manifestations)?
- chronic diarrhea (malabsorption of protein)
2. chronic protein loss (nephrotic syndrome; extensive burns)
Nutrition: Kwashiorkor is characterized by marked protein deprivation (notably visceral protein). It results in
- hypo-albuminemia (dependent anemia)
- inc. fluid retention (masks weight loss)
- sparing of subcutaneous fat and muscle mass
Children may also have disorders of the hair and skin. What are examples?
- Hair
- -sparse
- -loss of color
- -alternating bands - pale and dark - Skin
- -characteristic scaly lesion “flaky paint”
- -alternating zones of hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation w/ desquamation
NUTSHELL: edema (swelling of the belly), anemia, hepatosteatorrhea, skin lesions
Nutrition: A 3 year old Nigerian girl is brought to the clinic with complaints of loss of appetite, apathy and listlessness.
On PE you note edema of the abdomen, enlarged, palpable (fatty) liver and alternating bands of pale and dark hair with “flaky paint” skin.
Labs reveal
1. Dec. albumin
You suspect
Kwashiorkor
- defects in immunity = inc. 2ndary infections
- spares subcutaneous fat and muscle
NOTE: Kwashiorkor (loss of protein) vs. Marasmus (loss of all nutrients)
Nutrition: Unlike marasmus, Kwashiorkor presents with an enlarged fatty liver (hepatic steatosis; but cirrhosis is rare). In addition, the small bowel undergoes changes such as:
a. dec. mitotic index of crypts of the glands
b. mucosal atrophy
c. villous atrophy
d. ulceration
A-C
- dec. mitotic index
- mucosal atrophy
- loss of villi and microvilli
*Tx can reverse changes
Nutrition: Bone marrow in both kwashiorkor and marasmus may be hypoplastic. This is mainly due to decreased numbers of red cell precursors.
Mild-moderate anemia may also be detected in peripheral blood. This is due to what?
Multi-factorial
- nutritional deficiencies = Fe2+, folate, protein
- suppressive Effects of infection (anemia of chronic disease)
Nutrition: True/False - Children with kwashiorkor and marasmus may show cerebral atrophy with reduced number of neurons and impaired myelinization of white matter.
True
Nutrition: Both anorexia nervosa and bulemia tend to occur in previously healthy patients.
- ______ is self induced starvation. It has the highest death rate of psychiatric disorders.
- ______ binging on food and inducing vomiting
- Anorexia nervosa
- -similar to PEM
- -amenorrhea is Dx feature (dec. GnRH, dec. LH and FSH) - Bulemia
Nutrition: Individuals with anorexia or bulemia tend to have decreased thyroid hormone release. What are features of this?
- cold intolerance
- bradycardia
- constipation
- skin and hair changes
Nutrition: Individuals with anorexia or bulemia tend to have decreased thyroid hormone release.
What are other common findings?
- dehydration/electrolyte issues
- dry/scaly skin
- dec. bone density (low E2; mimick post-menopausal osteoporosis)
- anemia, hypoalbuminemia
Nutrition: What is a MAJOR complication of anorexia nervosa (also bulemia)?
a. increased susceptibility to cardiac dysrhythmia and sudden death
b. nephrotic syndrome
c. enlarged veins due to stasis
d. none of the above
Increased cardiac dysrhythmia
*hypokalemia
Nutrition: 13 vitamins are necessary for health.
- The fat soluble vitamins are _____ and are readily stored in the body. They are poorly absorbed in malabsorption disorders.
- ____ can be synthesized endogenously.
Vitamin deficiency may be primary (dietary) or secondary (to disturbances in intestinal absorption, transport in blood, tissue storage, or metabolic conversion).
- ADEK
- -Vit. D - sun exposure (steroids)
- Vit. K - biotin (intestinal microflora)
- Niacin (tryptophan)
Nutrition: The major function of this vitamin is to:
- maintain normal vision
- regulate (epithelial) cell growth and differentiation
- regulate lipid metabolism
- inc. host resistance to infections
Vit. A
*maintain integrity of epithelium and stimulate immune system
NOTE: infection may reduce bioavailability (inhibit retinol/acute phase response)
Nutrition: Vitamin A (retinoids) is a group of related compounds that may/may not have same biologic activity.
It comes from the diet (animal-derived foods) such as liver, fish, eggs, milk and butter. It can also come from carotenoids (B-carotene) that gets converted to Vit. A in the body. What are sources of carotenoids?
carrots, squash, spinach