Significant increase of chromosomal damage in protein energy malnutrition.

The present study attempts to investigate the impact of protein energy malnutrition (PEM) on chromosomes. Twenty infants suffering from marasmus and kwashiorkor were chosen from the in-patient paediatric hospital of Ain Shams University. They were matched by age and sex and socioeconomic status to ten healthy infants (controls). Whole blood lymphocytic cultures were set up for every infant and harvested after 48 h incubation. The frequency of chromosomal aberrations was found to be nearly nine times greater among infants with PEM compared to controls (6.7% versus 0.7% respectively); the difference was statistically highly significant, P less than 0.001. The recorded aberrations were mainly chromatid gaps and isogaps. In addition, chromatid breaks, dicentrics and acentric fragments were observed. Moreover, the younger the age of the infant the greater the frequency of chromosomal aberrations. The results direct our attention to the genetic risk effect of PEM.