Kwashiorkor – Clinical Manifestations and Therapeutic Approaches in Severe Protein-Energy Malnutrition
Alicja Kowalska
2026-03-21
4 min. read
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Weight reduction during illness represents a concerning clinical indicator necessitating immediate medical intervention. Nutritional deficiencies—particularly inadequate protein and energy intake—disrupt fundamental metabolic processes, compromise immune function, and, in advanced stages, may culminate in life-threatening systemic wasting. Among all forms of malnutrition, kwashiorkor is distinguished by the most rapid progression of tissue degradation, rendering it one of the most severe conditions demanding multidisciplinary specialist care.
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It is a type of malnutrition, otherwise called complex or protein malnutishment. It usually occurs in people whose body has experienced sudden stress as a result of e.g. injury or severe inflammation. This condition is seen in people who are burned, with severe infections, brain injuries, after surgery. The body then has an increased need for nutrients, especially protein, to rebuild tissues, and to suppress the inflammatory state. Its inadequate supply causes the use of systemic protein, which is found in the muscles.
Kwashiorkor has symptoms
Symptoms of quashiorkor malnutrition develop rapidly and can even lead to death. These include: hypoproteinemia, hypoalbuminemia, swelling, pancreatitis, positive inflammatory parameters, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, liver damage. Swelling and hypoalbuminemia are caused by increased production of cytokines as a result of inflammation. They affect the absorption of albumin from the intestinal space to the midbrain space. Decreases circulatory fluid volume and increases the retention of water and sodium, affecting the formation of cysts [1, 2, 3].
Kwashiorkor treatment
If nutritional and pharmacological supplements are used, however, depending on the patient's current medical condition and the severity of the symptoms, the main purpose of therapy is to restore normal cellular function, which usually returns within the first 10 days of treatment. If the treatment is based on a dietary and pharmaceutical supplementation, it is necessary to evaluate the nutrition of the patient and the intake of dietary supplements based on the present state of the disease.