[Effect of moderate protein-energy malnutrition in preschool children on various biochemical parameters. Use of biochemical indicators for early detection of malnutrition].

The efficiency of several biochemical parameters as indicators of moderate protein-energy malnutrition was investigated. 810 children aged under 5 years were studied in the forest region of southern Cameroon. The children were divided into groups of controls children and moderately malnourished children based on anthropometry. The means values of most of the biochemical parameters were decreased in the malnourished group. Prealbumin, Transferrin, Hydroxyproline index and Albumin/Globulins ratio showed the most significant decreases. There were highly significant (P less than 0.001) correlations between the parameters and all the anthropometric tests. It is concluded that biochemical tests studied are of value in detection of mild protein-energy malnutrition but only when used together and compared with levels in a control group of the same age and the same population. Because of the slight decreases, large distributions of individual values and interaction of factors others than malnutrition, interpretation of a single test appears to be very complex.