Question

A 1-year-old Caucasian girl presents to a pediatrician after being removed from her parents because of severe neglect. The pediatrician notes the child is undersized with tissue and muscle wasting, loss of adipose tissue, mild acidosis, and a hopeless, depressed look. Malnutrition is recognized and supported by laboratory studies that include a low serum protein concentration. The pediatrician institutes a gradual regimen of increased calories and nutrition, gradual because rapid feeding will produce diarrhea, worsening edema, and further protein loss. The extra tissue fluid (edema) and acidosis demonstrate the importance of proteins in maintaining tissue hydration and pH. Indicate the child's disease and which protein amino acids would have the greatest buffering capacity at physiologic pH.

A. Kwashiorkor; Lysine
B. Marasmus; histidine
C. Kwashiorkor; aspartic acid
D. Marasmus; valine

Answer 1

The child is suffering from c)kwashiorkor; aspartic acid, a type of protein-energy malnutrition. While histidine has strong buffering capacity at physiological pH, none of the amino acids listed in the options are primarily known for this, but aspartic acid is the one associated with the correct condition, kwashiorkor.

Step-by-step explanation:

The clinical presentation of the child described in the question, including edema, muscle wasting, low serum protein concentration, and the physiological manifestations such as difficulty in maintaining tissue hydration and pH balance, indicates that the child is suffering from kwashiorkor. Kwashiorkor is a form of protein-energy malnutrition that typically arises from a diet that is adequate in calories but severely lacking in protein. This is often seen in children who have been weaned off breast milk and are consuming a diet insufficient in protein content, which is essential for growth and development.

When it comes to the amino acids with the greatest buffering capacity at physiological pH, histidine is significant. However, the option provided in the question related to buffering capacity does not align with histidine. None of the provided amino acids in the options (lysine, aspartic acid, valine) are known for their buffering capacity at physiological pH. Among the options, however, kwashiorkor is the correct disease, making option A incorrect as it lists lysine. The best response, given the options, would be C. Kwashiorkor; aspartic acid, even though aspartic acid is not primarily known for its buffering capacity at physiological pH.