RÉGIMEN NUTRICIONAL CON ALIMENTOS AUTÓCTONOS PARA LA PREVENCIÓN DEL RETARDO PSICOMOTOR EN PACIENTES CON FENILCETONURIA

Abstract

Introduction: Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a genetic disease described as an inborn error of metabolism, where the amino acid phenylalanine (obtained mainly from foods of animal origin), cannot be metabolized normally, causing severe mental retardation and neuropsychiatric complications; However, these manifestations can be avoided from a strict diet with a minimum concentration in Phe, since it is well known that if the individual presents a high level of said amino acid in blood, they could increase. Therefore, the main objective of this work focuses on the proposal of a diet according to the needs of the patient with phenylketonuria, based on foods with very low concentrations of phenylalanine (Phe) considering their place of residence, so that, by using of food supplies from the area, adherence to treatment is improved and its Phe levels are maintained in a normal range, taking into account the nutritional needs of each infant. Methodology: A retrospective and prospective research was carried out, taking as a reference population two phenylketonuric infants, which only represent a unit of reference analysis to explore the possibilities of using the diet proposed. The infants were intentionally selected having as a common characteristic to present high level of phenylalanine in the blood. The variables studied were the nutritional regimen and psychomotor retardation. To obtain data, a retrospective method of dietary intake (frequency of consumption questionnaire) and a socioeconomic survey were carried out; with which the way how patients have taken their nutritional treatment to the present will be evaluated. All this was carried out in order to find out the type of nutritional administration or supplementation that they have entailed since the diagnosis of their disease. Results: According to the applied surveys, data are obtained that show that the nutritional treatment in patients with phenylketonuria, has several factors involved to achieve the fundamental objective that is in the adherence and to take a nutritional regime with low content in the amino acid phenylalanine.