TITLE:
Management of Severely Malnourished Children Aged 6 - 59 Months Hospitalized in the Pediatric Ward of Kayanza Hospital/Burundi
AUTHORS:
Michel Baseka, Jonathan Niyukuri, Alice Ndayishimiye, Sedki Az-Eddine, Vestine Ntakarutimana
KEYWORDS:
Severe Acute Malnutrition, Child, Burundi
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Pediatrics,
Vol.14 No.1,
January
5,
2024
ABSTRACT: The
implementation of WHO guidelines has significantly reduced hospital mortality
due to severe malnutrition. Nevertheless, severe acute malnutrition in children under five remains a major public
health problem in all low-income countries and is little studied. The
study aimed to assess the nutritional status and quality of management of
severe acute malnutrition in children aged 06 to 59 months hospitalized in the
pediatric ward of Kayanza Hospital. This is a prospective study with
descriptive and analytical aims over 6 months from February 10 to July 9, 2023.
All children aged 6 to 59 months admitted for severe acute malnutrition are
included in this study. The results show that the most affected age group is 12
to 23 months (42.55%). Marasmus is the most common clinical form, at 70.2%.
Housewives and mothers from rural areas are the most affected, with rates
ranging from 69.14% to 91.49%. The study shows that the reasons for
consultation are respectively: edema (29.78%), diarrhea (26.59%), vomiting
(19.14%), and fever (14.89%). Dehydration and hypothermia were the main
complications observed in 45.74% and 22.34% respectively. Medical treatment was
provided by antibiotics (44.68%), artesunate (31.91%), and resomal (21.27%).
Nutritional treatment consisted of F75 100% milk and F100 100% milk.
Pathologies observed were: anemia 38.29%, malaria 37.23%, urinary tract
infection 12.7%, measles 11.7%. The national protocol for integrated management
of acute malnutrition (PCIMA) was followed. This study shows that 72.3% of
children were successfully treated, with 9.5% dropping out and dying, and 8.5%
not responding. We found that malnutrition remains a public health problem,
affecting mostly children aged 12 to 24 months. The main complications or
pathologies associated with malnutrition are diarrhea, malaria, and fever, and
the majority of children suffer from marasmus.