Recovery of an Elderly Kwashiorkor Patient by Korean Medicine: A Case Report

Cheon-Hoo Jeon; Sul-Ki Kim; Chang-Gue Son; Jeon, Cheon-Hoo; Kim, Sul-Ki; Son, Chang-Gue

doi:10.13048/jkm.21010

JKM > Volume 42(1); 2021 > Article

Jeon, Kim, and Son: Recovery of an Elderly Kwashiorkor Patient by Korean Medicine: A Case Report

Case report

The Journal of Korean Medicine 2021; 42(1): 129-135.

Published online: March 01, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.13048/jkm.21010

Recovery of an Elderly Kwashiorkor Patient by Korean Medicine: A Case Report

Cheon-Hoo Jeon¹

, Sul-Ki Kim¹

, Chang-Gue Son²^{, *}

¹Department of Internal Korean Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Daejeon University

²Liver and Immunology Research Center, Oriental Medical College in Daejeon University

Correspondence to: Chang-Gue Son, Liver and Immunology Research Center, Daejeon Oriental Hospital of Daejeon University, Daedeokdae-ro 176 beon-gil 75, Seo-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea, Tel: +82-42-484-6484, Fax: +82-42-470-9005, E-mail: ckson@dju.ac.kr

Received February 3, 2021 Revised February 16, 2021 Accepted February 18, 2021

Abstract

Objectives

The present study reports case of an elderly kwashiorkor patient who was treated with Korean Medicine.

Methods

A 68-year-old female patient with weight loss, general weakness, chills, anorexia, and dizziness after over 100 episodes of diarrhea visited the hospital. Blood tests showed hypoalbuminemia and anemia, and ultrasonography revealed fatty liver disease. The patient was diagnosed with kwashiorkor, and her symptom differentiation was Yang deficiency followed by Both Qi-Blood deficiency. Sayeok-Tang, Soshiho-Tang, Insamyangyeong-Tang, and Gongjin-Dan, herbal drugs, were given to the patient during 40 days of hospitalization.

Results

After 40 days of hospitalization, her symptoms were reduced, and the blood test results improved.

Conclusion

This case presents the therapeutic potential of Korean medicine in the treatment of kwashiorkor.

Keywords: Kwashiorkor, Protein-energy malnutrition, Korean medicine, Case report

Fig. 1

Summary of clinical outcome and treatment course.

Table 1

Composition of Drugs

Drug	Composition (g*)
Gongjin-Dan	Cervi Parvum Cornu (0.8), Angelicae Gigantis Radix (0.8), Corni Fructus (0.8), Moschus berezovskii Flerove (0.08), Apis mellifera Linné (2)
Sayeok-Tang	Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (6), Zingiberis Rhizoma (5), Aconiti Lateralis Radix Preparata (4)
Insamyanyeong- Tang	Paeoniae Radix (24), Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens (24), Angelicae Gigantis Radix (12), Cinnamomi Cortex (12), Citri Unshius Pericarpium (12), Zizyphi Fructus (12), Ginseng Radix (12), Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba (12), Astragali Radix (12), Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (12), Anemarrhenae Rhizoma (12), Rehmanniae Radix Preparata (9), Schisandrae Fructus (9), Saposhnikoviae Radix (9), Polygalae Radix (6)

* The indicated dose is weight of each herb for an adult during one day

Table 2

Course of Laboratory Test Results

Parameter	Inpatient (week)						Outpatient (week)		Normal range

	0	1	2	3	4	6	7	30
Total protein (g/dL)	5.6	5.7	6.1	6.2	6.7	6.5	-	-	6.6–8.7
Albumin (g/dL)	1.9	1.8	2.5	2.7	2.7	2.8	-	-	3.5–5.2
ALP (U/L)	149	123	99	78	81	83	-	-	40–129
WBC (103/ul)	6.7	8.3	8.2	6.9	7.2	8.3	9.8	6.4	4.5–11.0
Eosinophil (%)	14.0	9.5	12.5	22.9	28.2	33.0	41.2	4.8	<5
Hemoglobin (g/dL)	10.5	9.6	8.7	8.8	9.7	9.9	10.4	11.7	12–16
IgE (IU/mL)	20955	-	-	-	-	19376	-	-	<1000

ALP: alkaline phosphatase, WBC: white blood cell, IgE: Immunoglobulin E

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