Review article: Accelerated starvation of childhood: Have I judged ketones?

Abstract

Acute ketosis is an important physiological mechanism to prevent irreversible neurological damage from hypoglycaemia during starvation, and represents a significant metabolic stress. A cohort of children adapt to relatively short periods of reduced caloric intake by generating large quantities of ketone bodies. When excessive, the gastrointestinal symptoms of starvation ketosis such as nausea and pain may create a vicious cycle that delays spontaneous resolution. The presence of ketones can be dismissed as a normal feature of childhood metabolism, sometimes even when extreme. A broader understanding of this process under the banner of 'accelerated starvation of childhood' is helpful for clin..