Serum carnitine in children with kwashiorkor.

Concentrations of free and acylcarnitine were measured in serum of children with kwashiorkor and compared with those obtained for well nourished children of similar age. The mean values (S.E.) for both free and acylcarnitine were significantly lower in the kwashiorkor group [32.6 (6.2) and 8.1 (2.2), respectively] than in the controls [53.2 (2.9) and 13.8 (3.1), respectively]. Serum albumin was also low in kwashiorkor patients, but there was no significant correlation with carnitine values.