Nutritional Œdema

Abstract

The Oxford Nutrition Survey found that 11.3% of over 3000 clinically examined in Holland and 4.1% of over 10,000 examined in Germany had nutritional (famine) edema. This is defined as pitting edema that is apparently caused by nutritional deficiency other than a deficiency of thiamine and not ascribed to any non-nutritional cause. It was very rarely seen in children; its incidence increased with age. No significant difference was found between the mean values for serum protein and for albumin of subjects with nutritional edema and for those without. The mean values were within the normal range. No significant difference was found between the blood level of cystine in those with or without edema. Nycturia was a frequent finding.