Therapeutic implications of electrolyte, water, and nitrogen losses during recovery from protein-calorie malnutrition**

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The importance of recognizing the altered physiologic status of the child with protein-calcium malnutrition at admission and during rehabilitation is emphasized by the difference in continuing losses and in growth requirements in these periods. Features of great significance are the inability to concentrate urine at admission and during early rehabilitation, the increased urine volume resulting from higher protein intakes, and the increased dermal losses which occur with early and late catch-up growth. For the child at admission, it is suggested that whole cow's milk diluted two parts with one part of a solution of 15 per cent dextrimaltose and 1.5 per cent potassium chloride will meet the water and electrolyte requirements when fed at the rate of at least 150 ml. per kilogram per day. If the child is committed to the catabolic state by gastrointestinal disturbances, an oral or intravenous infusion of a solution containing 55 mEq. of K and 25 mEq. of Na at an average rate of 120 ml. per kilogram per day will provide for the average continuing losses or maintenance requirements of water and electrolytes.

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    **

    We would like to acknowledge that our research was supported in part by The David Underwood Trust Fund, The National Dairy Council, Inc., The Mead-Johnson Company, The United States Public Health Service Research Grants FR-00259, FR-00254, AM-011285, and RR-00188 from The General Clinical Research Centers Program, Division of Research Resources, National Institutes of Health, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Grant No. NGR 44-003-053, and The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Contract No. NAS 9-12728.

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