Assessment of Plasma Levels of Sodium and Potassium among Sudanese Malnourished Children in Khartoum State

Abstract

The term 'malnutrition' usually means the inappropriate intake of one or more of the nutrients essential for normal growth and development of the body.

This study was carried out to measure plasma levels of sodium and potassium in malnourished children. Sixty samples were collected from malnourished children in period between January to March 2017, chosen randomly from Mohammed AL Amin Hamid for pediatric hospital in Khartoum State, and Sixty apparently healthy individuals as control group, to assess the effect of malnutrition on plasma levels of sodium and potassium.

plasma sodium and potassium ware measure by using Easylyte electrolyte analyzer system, and results were analyzed using statistical package for social science (SPSS), computer program.

The study showed that, the plasma levels of sodium and potassium was significantly decreased in Sudanese malnourished children. Mean ± SD for cases versus control For sodium :( 133.29± 5.1 versus 139.6 ±2.6 mmoL/L , p-value =0.000) and For potassium: (3.53± 0.4 versus 4.03 ± 0.38mmoL/L , p-value =0.000) . Also the finding of this study showed that, there was significantly decreased in the mean of BM I in malnourished children group compared to contra group. Mean BMI± SD for case versus control (15.28 ± 2.28 kg/m2 versus 19.25 ± 2.48 kg/m2).

The result of this study showed that malnutrition most common among age between (6-9) years (85%), and malnutrition most abundant in females (56 .7%) than males (43.3%).

Person correlation showed that, there was no correlation between age of malnourished children and the level of Sodium (r= 0.22, p-value= 0.869), and there was insignificant weak positive correlation between age and levels of potassium(r= 0.186, p-value= 0.154).

There were significant moderate negative correlation between the levels of sodium, potassium and the duration of malnourished children (r = - 0.493, p-value = 0. 000), (r = - 0. 589, p-value =0.000) respectively.

It is concluded that: the plasma levels of sodium and potassium were significantly decreased in Sudanese malnourished children.