Severely malnourished children with a low weight-for-height have a higher mortality than those with a low mid-upper-arm-circumference: III. Effect of case-load on malnutrition related mortality- policy implications.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) is diagnosed when the weight-for-height Z-score (WHZ) is <-3Z of the WHO₂₀₀₆ standards, or a mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC) of < 115 mm or there is nutritional oedema. Although there has been a move to eliminate WHZ as a diagnostic criterion we have shown that children with a low WHZ have at least as high a mortality risk as those with a low MUAC. Here we take the estimated case fatality rates and published case-loads to estimate the proportion of total SAM related deaths occurring in children that would be excluded from treatment with a MUAC-only policy.

Methods

The effect of varying case-load and mortality rates on the proportion of all deaths that would occur in admitted children was examined. We used the same calc

SUBMITTER: Grellety E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6138898 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature