These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: The outcome of severe malnutrition in northwest Ethiopia: retrospective analysis of admissions.
    Author: Amsalu S, Asnakew G.
    Journal: Ethiop Med J; 2006 Apr; 44(2):151-7. PubMed ID: 17447378.
    Abstract:
    OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical profile and treatment outcome of children with severe malnutrition. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective study of 335 children with severe malnutrition was conducted in Gondar University hospital over a period of four years; September 1997 - August 2000. RESULTS: There were 175 (52.2%) males and 160 (47.8%) females with severe malnutrition. Children below the age of 24 months constituted for 60.3% of all the admissions. Marasmus was the most common type of malnutrition, present in 174 (52.0%) of the patients. Kwashiorkor and marasmic kwashiorkor were seen in 78 (23.3%) and 83 (24.7%) of the patients respectively. The overall case fatality rate was 61 (18.4%) while 30 (9.1%) abandoned treatment. Two hundred forty (72.5%) of the patients were discharged improved. The case fatality rates for the different types of malnutrition were 28.4% for marasmic kwashiorkor, 16.9% for kwashiorkor and 14.5% for marasmus. A statistically significant risk of death was observed in those with history of bottle feeding (OR 4.5, P-value < 0.01), diarrhea with severe dehydration (OR 3.05, P-value < 0.01), altered level of consciousness (OR 7.08, P-value < 0.001), total serum protein of 5 g/dl and less (OR 3.45, P-value < 0.05) and patients having marasmic kwashiorkor (OR 2.55, P-value < 0.01). CONCLUSION: This study shows a high mortality rate of severe malnutrition despite hospitalization. The findings confirm the need for intensive management of severe malnutrition.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]