E42: Marasmic kwashiorkor

E42 refers to Marasmic kwashiorkor, part of a group of diagnoses that involve intraoperative endocrine complications and various forms of severe to mild protein-calorie malnutrition. These conditions are significant in surgical, pediatric, and global health settings due to their impact on growth, healing, and overall outcomes.

Symptoms

• Growth failure or stunted height – From long-term nutritional deficiency
• Muscle wasting – Typical in marasmus or severe malnutrition
• Edema – Particularly in kwashiorkor and marasmic kwashiorkor
• Developmental delay – Seen in E45 due to early malnutrition
• Infection susceptibility – Weak immunity in malnourished patients
• Surgical instability – Linked with E36 endocrine intraoperative complications
• Fatigue or listlessness – Due to lack of essential nutrients

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of Marasmic kwashiorkor includes anthropometric measurements (weight-for-height, BMI, mid-upper arm circumference), blood tests for albumin and electrolytes, surgical notes (for E36), and developmental assessments (for E45). Nutrition and surgical teams collaborate on assessment and care planning.

ICD10 Code Usage

ICD10 code E42 is commonly used in global health, pediatric, nutrition, and surgical coding to document both malnutrition severity and intraoperative endocrine complications. It aids in public health surveillance, insurance billing, and clinical documentation.

Related Codes

• E36 – Intraoperative complications of endocrine system
• E40 – Kwashiorkor
• E41 – Nutritional marasmus
• E43 – Unspecified severe protein-calorie malnutrition
• E44 – Protein-calorie malnutrition of moderate and mild degree
• E45 – Retarded development following protein-calorie malnutrition
• E46 – Unspecified protein-calorie malnutrition

FAQs

Q1: What is ICD10 code E42?
A: It identifies Marasmic kwashiorkor, covering either endocrine system complications during surgery or degrees of protein-calorie malnutrition.

Q2: What causes these conditions?
A: Causes include inadequate nutrition, post-op complications, prolonged illness, and systemic poverty or food insecurity.

Q3: Are these conditions reversible?
A: Most nutritional disorders are treatable with rehabilitation. Intraoperative issues require acute management and follow-up.

Q4: How are they managed?
A: Nutritional supplementation, therapeutic feeding protocols, endocrine monitoring, or surgical intervention as appropriate.

Q5: Who manages these conditions?
A: Multidisciplinary teams including surgeons, endocrinologists, pediatricians, and clinical nutritionists.

Conclusion

ICD10 code E42 helps document and manage Marasmic kwashiorkor, ensuring appropriate treatment planning and global tracking of nutritional or surgical-endocrine issues. Accurate coding supports better patient outcomes and resource allocation for at-risk populations.