Intestinal, functional, and morphologic abnormalities in severely protein-malnourished adults

There are many identifiable causes of malabsorption in populations living in the tropics. In some patients, however, the etiology of subclinical or overt malabsorption remains unclarified. The frequency with which abnormal bacterial colonization of the upper small bowel, folic acid deficiency, and primary protein malnutrition coexist in these patients tends to confuse the issue of etiologic factor(s) in malabsorption. We have studied malabsorptive states in the Cauca Valley of Colombia for the last 7 years. The present communication reviews the characteristics of the malabsorption syndrome seen in 26 closely controlled adult patients, followed for a long period, who had strictly defined, severe, primary (nutritional) protein malnutrition. Materials and methods