E40 vs E42
E40 and E42 can never be reported together. ICD-10-CM declares them mutually exclusive with an Excludes1 note, meaning the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient — so exactly one of them is correct for any given encounter.
The official note, declared on E40
marasmic kwashiorkor (E42)
E40
Kwashiorkor
Billable
- Chapter 4
- Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases
- Section
- E40-E46
Use when the record says
- Severe malnutrition with nutritional edema with dyspigmentation of skin and hair
Indexed under
- Kwashiorkor
- Pluricarential syndrome of infancy
- Polycarential syndrome of infancy
- Malnutrition › malignant
- Syndrome › pluricarential of infancy
E42
Marasmic kwashiorkor
Billable
- Chapter 4
- Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases
- Section
- E40-E46
Use when the record says
- Intermediate form severe protein-calorie malnutrition
- Severe protein-calorie malnutrition with signs of both kwashiorkor and marasmus
Indexed under
- Kwashiorkor › marasmic, marasmus type
- Malnutrition › severe › intermediate form
- Deficiency, deficient › calorie, severe › with marasmus › and kwashiorkor
- Malnutrition › degree › severe › intermediate form
- Malnutrition › protein › calorie › severe › intermediate form
Excludes1 is not always absolute: where two conditions covered by the note are genuinely unrelated, CMS guidance permits reporting both. Document the reasoning rather than assuming it. More on Excludes1 vs Excludes2 · FY2027