AMINO ACID PATTERNS IN PLASMA AND ERYTHROCYTES IN PROTEIN MALNUTRITION

The reliability of the paper chromatographic technique developed by Whitehead for evaluation of the amino pattern of serum and plasma has been studied by comparison with the results obtained by quantitative column chromatography. The results obtained with the two techniques show a satisfactory agreement. The screening technique has been used in a field study of protein malnutrition among Ethiopian pre-school children in different areas of the country. Changes of the amino acid pattern of blood serum of the type seen in protein malnutrition have been found in 27-52 % of the children. The highest figure of amino acid imbalance was obtained for an area, where ensete (false banana) containing only about 1 % of protein is the main staple food. The erythrocyte/plasma distribution ratios of amino acids have been determined in a group of children with advanced protein malnutrition. The erythrocyte values of amino acids are often increased in spite of low plasma values resulting in high erythrocyte/plasma distribution ratios in most of the protein malnutrition cases studied.