Interaction of infection and nutrition in children: Two studies from Bangladesh
1981
A non-institutionalized population of 2019 Bangladeshi children, aged 12-47 months, were observed for 2 years to identify which anthropometric indices were most useful in determining mortality risk. Weight/age, height/age, and weight/height parameters did not yield consistent malnutrition delineation results. Weight/age and weight/height scales were analyzed for sensitivity and specificity; neither proved very accurate mortality predictors. The wt/ht standard is still used, however, to measure recuperation from severe malnutrition. A second study was conducted, prospectively, on 100 hospitalized and 146 out-patient children to determine the response of malnourished children to infectious disease. Of the hospitalized patients, 21 died, usually as a consequence of infection. The non-survivors tended to be the youngest subjects. These severely malnourished children frequently failed to develop any manifestations of inflammatory response, such as fever, tachycardia, or leukocytosis. (cj)
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