Optimising the dosage of ready-to-use therapeutic food in children with uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: a non-inferiority, randomised controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Current standard management of severe acute malnutrition uses ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) at a single weight-based calculation resulting in an increasing amount of RUTF provided to the family as the child's weight increases during recovery. Using RUTF at a gradually reduced dosage as the child recovers could reduce costs while achieving similar growth response.

Methods

We conducted an open-label, non-inferiority, randomised controlled trial in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Children aged 6-59 months with a mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC) of less than 115 mm or a weight-for-height z-score (WHZ) of less than -3 or bipedal oedema and without medical complication were randomly assigned (1:1 ratio) using a specially developed software and random bloc

SUBMITTER: Cazes C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10006445 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature