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Treatment cure rate and its predictors among children with severe acute malnutrition in northwest Ethiopia: a retrospective record review

Fasil Wagnew, Getiye Dejenu, Setegn Eshetie, Animut Alebel, Wubet Worku, Amanuel Alemu Abajobir

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

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Abstract

Background
More than 29 million that is an estimated 5%, under-five children suffer from severe acute malnutrition (SAM) globally, with a nine times higher risk of mortality than that of well-nourished children. However, little is known regarding outcomes and predictors of SAM in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aims to determine treatment cure rate and its predictors among children aged 6–59 months with SAM admitted to a stabilization center.

Methodology
A retrospective record review was employed in SAM children at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (UOGCSH) from 2014 to 2016. SAM defined as weight for height below -3 z scores of the median World Health Organization (WHO) growth standards or presence of bilateral edema or mid upper arm circumference < 115mm for a child ≥6months age. All SAM patients with medical complication(s) or failure to pass appetite test are admitted to the malnutrition treatment center for inpatient follow-up. Data were extracted from a randomly selected records after getting ethical clearance. Data were cleaned, coded and entered to Epi-info version-7, and analyzed using STATA/se version-14. Descriptive statistics and analytic analyses schemes including bivariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards model were conducted.

Result
Among a total of 416 records recruited for this study, 288 (69.2%) SAM children were cured at the end of the follow up, with a median cure time of 11 days. Kwash-dermatosis (AHR (Adjusted Hazard Ratio): 1.48(95% CI: 1.01, 2.16)), anemia (AHR: 1.36(95% CI: 1.07, 1.74)), tuberculosis (AHR: 1.6(95% CI: 1.04, 2.43)) and altered body temperature at admission (AHR: 1.58(95% CI: 1.04, 2.4) were independent predictors of time to cure.

Conclusion
The cure rate in SAM children was low relative to sphere standard guideline. Prognosis of SAM largely depends on the presence of other comorbidities at admission. Available intervention modalities need to address coexisting morbidities to achieve better outcomes in SAM children.
Original languageEnglish
Article numbere0211628
Pages (from-to)1-13
Number of pages13
JournalPLoS ONE
Volume14
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 20 Feb 2019
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Copyright the Author(s) 2019. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

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