Thiocyanate Space of Body and Mineral Concentration of Erythrocytes in Severe Infantile Gastroenteritis

Abstract

Summary 1. A study is made of the extracellular (thiocyanate) space and blood chemistry in 14 cases of severe infantile gastroenteritis. 2. On admission, and in spite of evident dehydration, thiocyanate space was normal in 8 cases, considerably higher than normal in 3, and below normal in 3 cases only. During rehydration thiocyanate space increased regularly, and always unmistakably more than the corresponding gain in weight. While recovery was in progress, the values returned to normal. 3. At the beginning of treatment the potassium concentration of the erythrocytes was lowered in these patients and the sodium concentration increased. A certain correlation could be observed between these values and changes in thiocyanate space. 4. It is suggested on the basis of this study that changes in cellular permeability probably occur in severe infantile gastroenteritis. Résumé 1. On fait une étude de l'espace extracellulaire (thiocyanate) et de la chimie du sang dans 14 cas de gastroentérite infantile grave. 2. A l'admission, et malgré une déshydratation évidente, l'espace thiocyanate était normal dans 8 cas, beaucoup plus élevé que la normale dans 3 cas et au‐dessous de la normale dans 3 cas seulement. Pendant la réhydratation, l'espace thiocyanate a augmenté régulièrement et toujours manifestement plus que l'augmentation correspondante de poids. Pendant que progressait la guérison, les valeurs revenaient à la normale. 3. Au commencement du traitement, la concentration de potassium des érythrocytes de ces sujets était abaissée et la concentration de sodium augmentée. On a pu observer une certaine corrélation entre ces valeurs et les changements de l'espace thiocyanate. 4. Sur la base de cette étude, on présente l'opinion que des changements de la perméabilité cellulaire se produisent probablement dans les cas de gastroentérite infantile grave. Zusammenfassung 1. Die Arbeit enthält eine Studie der extrazellulären (Thiocyanat) Räume und der Blutchemie in 14 Fällen von schwerer infantiler Gastroenteritis. 2. Im Anfang waren die Thiocyanat‐Räume, trotz sichtbarer Eintrocknung, in 8 Fällen normal, in 3 bedeutend grösser, in nur 3 verkleinert. Während der Rehydrierung nahmen die Thiocynat‐Räume regelmässig zu und zwar mehr als der Gewichtzunahme entsprechend, um allmählich wieder normal zu werden. 3. Im Anfang der Behandlung war die Kalium‐Konzentration der Erythrozyten niedrig, die Katrium‐Konzentration erhöht. Eine gewisse Korrelation zwischen diesen Werten und den Veränderungen der Thiocyanate‐Räume wurde nachgewiesen. 4. Es ist auf Grund dieser Befunde wahrscheinlich, dass bei schwerer infantiler Gastroenteritis Veränderungen der Zellen‐Permeabilität eintreten. Resumen 1. Se ha hecho un estudio del espacio extracelular (tiocianato) y de la química de la sangre en 14 casos de gastroenteritis infantil grave. 2. En la admisión, a pesar de una deshidratación évidente, el espacio tiocianato era normal en 8 casos, mucho más elevado que lo normal en 3 casos e inferior a lo normal solamente en 3 casos. Durante la rehidratación, e...

Haemorrhagic diathesis in children associated with vitamin K deficiency

“…The mildly prolonged prothrombin time, sometimes associated with petecheal haemorrhages, in certain cases of kwashiorkor was attributed to this factor (Merskey and Hansen, 1957). Intestinal hurry with deficient absorption of vitamin K can occur in some cases of gastro-enteritis leading in some cases to prolongation of prothrombin time (Rapoport and Dodd, 1946;Hallman and Kauhtio, 1949). In our patients only mild diarrhoea occurred in the majority of cases and not in all of them and was usually of short duration, while the prolongation of the prothrombin time was much greater than that described in gastro-enteritis.…”

The Problem of Oedema in Infantile Malnutrition

“…This is in perfect agreement with conditions found in the semistarved adult (2, 4, 20,23). Measurements of thiocyanate space may of course sometimes be inaccurate, due to increased permeability of the cells (11). Direct measurements of body water on post-mortem material in malnutrition and the good agreement between direct measurements of body minerals, body water and thiocyanate space during growth (12,19) seems however to warrant the belief that the data on thiocyanate space are essentially correct.…”