Median and interquartile ranges of plasma BDI, transferrin, transferrin saturation, and albumin in children with moderate or severe oedema of kwashiorkor
| Degree of oedema | Admission | 24 hours | Day 10 | Day 30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BDI (μmol/l) | Moderate | 6.75 (0.5–15.5) | 0 (0–1.25) | 0 (0–0.5) | 0 |
| Severe | 20.5 (18.5–21.0) | 17.0 (13.5–18.5) | 0.013 (0–0.88) | 0 | |
| Transferrin (g/l) | Moderate | 0.62 (0.44–1.05) | 0.86 (0.45–1.21) | 1.97 (1.88–1.98) | 3.24 (2.63–3.59) |
| Severe | 0.46 (0.39–0.73) | 0.42 (0.38–0.5) | 1.12 (1.03–1.77) | 2.95 (2.87–3.33) | |
| Transferrin saturation (%) | Moderate | 52.2 (45.0–67.3) | 34.2 (26.0–49.4) | 9.6 (7.9–14.5) | 14.4 (14.0–14.9) |
| Severe | 72.0 (60.9–80.9) | 64.8 (35.2–87.5) | 20.2 (13.8–38.6) | 14.8 (8.0–17.5) | |
| Albumin (g/l) | Moderate | 17 (16–18) | ND | 28 (27–29) | 40 (39–44) |
| Severe | 16 (13–17) | ND | 21 (16–24) | 37 (32–38) |
ND = not determined.