Outcomes of Hospitalized Infants Aged One to Six Months in Relation to Different Anthropometric Indices - An Observational Cohort Study.
Indian J Pediatr
; 87(9): 699-705, 2020 09.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-32221787
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
Malnutrition in infants less than six months is increasingly recognized. However, the WHO criteria for identifying malnutrition have not been fully evaluated against the risk of in-patient mortality. The observational study was conducted to evaluate the predictability of in-patient mortality of different anthropometric criteria and combination of criteria in order to understand which diagnostic criteria or combination of criteria most accurately predict in-patient mortality.METHODS:
Data from a cohort of infants aged one to six months, admitted to Kalawati Saran Children's Hospital, New Delhi between February and December 2018 was analyzed. The discriminatory ability of different anthropometric indexes [weight-for-age Z score (WAZ), weight-for-length Z score (WLZ) and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC)] and their combinations to predict in-patient mortality was assessed using Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.RESULTS:
A total of 1813 infants aged one to six months were admitted during the 11 mo period, of which 107 (5.9%) died in the hospital. Of all admissions, 39.9%, 26% and 23.4% were severely underweight, severely wasted and severely stunted, respectively. WAZ < -3 was the most sensitive predictor of mortality [sensitivity 74.8%; specificity 62.3%; area under the curve (AUC) 0.69, 95% CI 0.64-0.74].CONCLUSIONS:
WAZ < -3 was the most sensitive predictor out of all individual and combined parameters/indexes in identifying infants less than six months at high risk of mortality which suggests that, it should be used to identify at-risk infants between one to six months on admission to in-patient care. Children identified as falling into this category should be properly evaluated and treated during their in-patient stay.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Malnutrition
Type of study:
Etiology_studies
/
Incidence_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Aspects:
Determinantes_sociais_saude
Limits:
Child
/
Humans
/
Infant
Language:
En
Journal:
Indian J Pediatr
Year:
2020
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country: