A study of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in severe infantile malnutrition.

Renin activity, renin substrate and aldosterone were measured in plasma of 17 children aged 12 to 28 months and suffering from severe malnutrition (marasmic kwashiorkor). Plasma renin activity was very high (median 29.0 ng/ml/hr) at admission, decreased after equilibration with a normal sodium diet (9.9 ng/ml/hr) and was negatively correlated with urinary sodium excretion. Plasma renin substrate and aldosterone concentrations were in the normal range; plasma aldosterone correlated positively with serum potassium. The hyperactivity of the renin-angiotensin system may be of relevance to the renal function in severe malnutrition.