Hi, I'm Cathy with Level Up RN. In this brief video, I will be talking about the two main types of protein-energy malnutrition, which include marasmus and kwashiorkor. And at the end of the video, I'm going to give you guys a quiz to test your understanding of some of the key points I'll be covering, so definitely stay tuned for that. And if you have our Level Up RN Nutrition Flashcards, go ahead and pull out your flashcard on protein energy malnutrition so you can follow along with me.
Protein energy malnutrition, or PEM, is caused by a lack of calories or a lack of protein. And this can lead to organ damage and death. Unfortunately, PEM is very common in poverty-stricken areas of the world.
Marasmus is a specific type of protein energy malnutrition that is caused by a deficiency in calories. So this includes all three macronutrients, protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Signs and symptoms of marasmus include a wasted appearance, lack of subcutaneous fat, hypotension, bradycardia, hypothermia, and delayed growth.
Kwashiorkor is another type of protein energy malnutrition that is caused by a deficiency in protein. A key sign of kwashiorkor is abdominal distention, and this occurs due to a lack of albumin, which is a protein that keeps fluid in the bloodstream. So without enough albumin, that fluid leaves the bloodstream into the surrounding tissue, causing edema. So some people mistakenly see a child's distended abdomen and think they don't look malnourished, but that is definitely not the case. Other signs and symptoms of kwashiorker include peripheral edema, a round face, muscle atrophy, poor growth, and hepatomegaly, which is an enlarged liver.
Treatment of malnutrition includes treatment of dehydration, addressing electrolyte imbalances, preventing and/or treating hypothermia, correcting micronutrient deficiencies, and slowly introducing feeding.
All right. It's quiz time, and I've got three questions for you. Question number 1. Marasmus is a type of malnutrition caused by a deficiency in calories. True or false?
The answer is true.
Question number 2. Kwashiorkor is caused by a deficiency in blank.
The answer is protein.
Question number 3. Which form of malnutrition is characterized by a distended abdomen?
The answer is kwashiorkor.
All right. That's it for this video. I hope it was helpful. Thank you so much for watching, and good luck with studying.
