Clinico-biochemical profile of sick children with severe acute malnutrition

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) classified as edematous and marasmus, however, Kwashiorker represents the most severe phenotype of edematous malnutrition. The aim of this study was to describe the clinico-biochemical profile in sick children with severe acute malnutrition. MATERIALS AND METHODS: value < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: = 0.006) when compared with nonedematous children. Edematous malnutrition has 1.3 and 1.4 times more risk of death and leave against medical advice (LAMA) respectively as compared to nonedematous malnutrition. Mortality was higher in edematous malnutrition (12, 66.6%) than nonedematous malnutrition (6, 33.3%). CONCLUSION: Edematous malnutrition was commonly prevalent in 1 to 3 years of children and clinical and biochemical abnormalities frequently co-exist with edematous malnutrition.