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Severe Acute Malnutrition

MedGen UID:
875809
•Concept ID:
C4042945
•
Disease or Syndrome
Synonyms: Acute Malnutrition, Severe; Malnutrition, Severe Acute

Definition

Acute form of MALNUTRITION which usually affects children, characterized by a very low weight for height (below -3z scores of the median World Health Organization standards), visible severe wasting, or occurrence of nutritional EDEMA. It can be a direct or indirect cause of fatality in children suffering from DIARRHEA and PNEUMONIA. Do not confuse with starvation, a condition in which the body is not getting enough food, usually for extended periods of time. [from MeSH]

Term Hierarchy

CClinical test,  RResearch test,  OOMIM,  GGeneReviews,  VClinVar  
  • CROGVSevere Acute Malnutrition

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Anemia in Severe Acute Malnutrition: Ten Steps of Management Need to be Fine-Tuned.
Chandra J, Kumar P
Indian J Pediatr 2023 Nov;90(11):1061-1064. Epub 2023 Jul 12 doi: 10.1007/s12098-023-04742-2. PMID: 37436578
Difference between kwashiorkor and marasmus: Comparative meta-analysis of pathogenic characteristics and implications for treatment.
Pham TP, Alou MT, Golden MH, Million M, Raoult D
Microb Pathog 2021 Jan;150:104702. Epub 2021 Jan 3 doi: 10.1016/j.micpath.2020.104702. PMID: 33359074
Acute Malnutrition in Children: Pathophysiology, Clinical Effects and Treatment.
Dipasquale V, Cucinotta U, Romano C
Nutrients 2020 Aug 12;12(8) doi: 10.3390/nu12082413. PMID: 32806622Free PMC Article

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Antibiotic use and resistance in children with severe acute malnutrition and human immunodeficiency virus infection.
Francis F, Robertson RC, Bwakura-Dangarembizi M, Prendergast AJ, Manges AR
Int J Antimicrob Agents 2023 Jan;61(1):106690. Epub 2022 Nov 11 doi: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2022.106690. PMID: 36372343
Prevalence and predictors of hypocalcaemia in severe acute malnutrition.
Smilie C, Shah D, Batra P, Ahmed RS, Gupta P
Public Health Nutr 2020 Dec;23(17):3181-3186. Epub 2020 Jul 24 doi: 10.1017/S1368980020001895. PMID: 32703321Free PMC Article
Severe childhood malnutrition.
Bhutta ZA, Berkley JA, Bandsma RHJ, Kerac M, Trehan I, Briend A
Nat Rev Dis Primers 2017 Sep 21;3:17067. doi: 10.1038/nrdp.2017.67. PMID: 28933421Free PMC Article
Gut microbiota and malnutrition.
Million M, Diallo A, Raoult D
Microb Pathog 2017 May;106:127-138. Epub 2016 Feb 4 doi: 10.1016/j.micpath.2016.02.003. PMID: 26853753
Anemia in severe acute malnutrition.
Thakur N, Chandra J, Pemde H, Singh V
Nutrition 2014 Apr;30(4):440-2. Epub 2013 Oct 2 doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2013.09.011. PMID: 24332525

Diagnosis

3.1 Moderate and Severe Acute Malnutrition in Young Children.
Nel ER
World Rev Nutr Diet 2022;124:211-220. Epub 2022 Mar 3 doi: 10.1159/000517387. PMID: 35240650
Tuberculosis in children with severe acute malnutrition.
Vonasek BJ, Radtke KK, Vaz P, Buck WC, Chabala C, McCollum ED, Marcy O, Fitzgerald E, Kondwani A, Garcia-Prats AJ
Expert Rev Respir Med 2022 Mar;16(3):273-284. Epub 2022 Feb 28 doi: 10.1080/17476348.2022.2043747. PMID: 35175880Free PMC Article
Severe childhood malnutrition.
Bhutta ZA, Berkley JA, Bandsma RHJ, Kerac M, Trehan I, Briend A
Nat Rev Dis Primers 2017 Sep 21;3:17067. doi: 10.1038/nrdp.2017.67. PMID: 28933421Free PMC Article
Severe acute malnutrition.
Nel ED
Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care 2016 May;19(3):234-8. doi: 10.1097/MCO.0000000000000269. PMID: 26963580
Severe acute malnutrition and infection.
Jones KD, Berkley JA
Paediatr Int Child Health 2014 Dec;34 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):S1-S29. doi: 10.1179/2046904714Z.000000000218. PMID: 25475887Free PMC Article

Therapy

Effects of microbiota-directed foods in gnotobiotic animals and undernourished children.
Gehrig JL, Venkatesh S, Chang HW, Hibberd MC, Kung VL, Cheng J, Chen RY, Subramanian S, Cowardin CA, Meier MF, O'Donnell D, Talcott M, Spears LD, Semenkovich CF, Henrissat B, Giannone RJ, Hettich RL, Ilkayeva O, Muehlbauer M, Newgard CB, Sawyer C, Head RD, Rodionov DA, Arzamasov AA, Leyn SA, Osterman AL, Hossain MI, Islam M, Choudhury N, Sarker SA, Huq S, Mahmud I, Mostafa I, Mahfuz M, Barratt MJ, Ahmed T, Gordon JI
Science 2019 Jul 12;365(6449) doi: 10.1126/science.aau4732. PMID: 31296738Free PMC Article
Severe acute malnutrition.
Nel E
Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care 2018 May;21(3):195-199. doi: 10.1097/MCO.0000000000000465. PMID: 29461265
Severe acute malnutrition.
Nel ED
Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care 2016 May;19(3):234-8. doi: 10.1097/MCO.0000000000000269. PMID: 26963580
Persistent gut microbiota immaturity in malnourished Bangladeshi children.
Subramanian S, Huq S, Yatsunenko T, Haque R, Mahfuz M, Alam MA, Benezra A, DeStefano J, Meier MF, Muegge BD, Barratt MJ, VanArendonk LG, Zhang Q, Province MA, Petri WA Jr, Ahmed T, Gordon JI
Nature 2014 Jun 19;510(7505):417-21. Epub 2014 Jun 4 doi: 10.1038/nature13421. PMID: 24896187Free PMC Article
Nutrition and brain development in early life.
Prado EL, Dewey KG
Nutr Rev 2014 Apr;72(4):267-84. Epub 2014 Mar 28 doi: 10.1111/nure.12102. PMID: 24684384

Prognosis

Liver fat in adult survivors of severe acute malnutrition.
Thompson DS, Royal-Thomas TYN, Tennant IA, Soares DP, Byrne CD, Forrester TE, Gluckman PD, Boyne MS
Sci Rep 2022 Mar 7;12(1):3690. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-07749-5. PMID: 35256686Free PMC Article
Prevalence and predictors of hypocalcaemia in severe acute malnutrition.
Smilie C, Shah D, Batra P, Ahmed RS, Gupta P
Public Health Nutr 2020 Dec;23(17):3181-3186. Epub 2020 Jul 24 doi: 10.1017/S1368980020001895. PMID: 32703321Free PMC Article
Manifolds boosting severe acute malnutrition burden among children in and around Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia: mini-review.
Kabalo MY
BMC Res Notes 2018 Dec 6;11(1):870. doi: 10.1186/s13104-018-3978-1. PMID: 30522517Free PMC Article
Severe acute malnutrition.
Nel ED
Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care 2016 May;19(3):234-8. doi: 10.1097/MCO.0000000000000269. PMID: 26963580
Anemia in severe acute malnutrition.
Thakur N, Chandra J, Pemde H, Singh V
Nutrition 2014 Apr;30(4):440-2. Epub 2013 Oct 2 doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2013.09.011. PMID: 24332525

Clinical prediction guides

Clinical and Biochemical Markers of Risk in Uncomplicated Severe Acute Malnutrition.
Dailey-Chwalibóg T, Freemark M, Muehlbauer M, Roberfroid D, Kemokai IA, Mostak MR, Alim MA, Khan MMST, Khan MAH, Bawo L, Dunbar NK, Taylor CH, Fouillet H, Huneau JF, Kolsteren P, Guesdon B
Pediatrics 2021 Jun;147(6) Epub 2021 May 21 doi: 10.1542/peds.2020-027003. PMID: 34021063
Difference between kwashiorkor and marasmus: Comparative meta-analysis of pathogenic characteristics and implications for treatment.
Pham TP, Alou MT, Golden MH, Million M, Raoult D
Microb Pathog 2021 Jan;150:104702. Epub 2021 Jan 3 doi: 10.1016/j.micpath.2020.104702. PMID: 33359074
Starvation and Its Effects on the Gut.
Kelly P
Adv Nutr 2021 Jun 1;12(3):897-903. doi: 10.1093/advances/nmaa135. PMID: 33271592Free PMC Article
Severe acute malnutrition.
Nel ED
Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care 2016 May;19(3):234-8. doi: 10.1097/MCO.0000000000000269. PMID: 26963580
Persistent gut microbiota immaturity in malnourished Bangladeshi children.
Subramanian S, Huq S, Yatsunenko T, Haque R, Mahfuz M, Alam MA, Benezra A, DeStefano J, Meier MF, Muegge BD, Barratt MJ, VanArendonk LG, Zhang Q, Province MA, Petri WA Jr, Ahmed T, Gordon JI
Nature 2014 Jun 19;510(7505):417-21. Epub 2014 Jun 4 doi: 10.1038/nature13421. PMID: 24896187Free PMC Article

Recent systematic reviews

Water, sanitation and hygiene interventions and the prevention and treatment of childhood acute malnutrition: A systematic review.
Patlán-Hernández AR, Stobaugh HC, Cumming O, Angioletti A, Pantchova D, Lapègue J, Stern S, N'Diaye DS
Matern Child Nutr 2022 Jan;18(1):e13257. Epub 2021 Oct 6 doi: 10.1111/mcn.13257. PMID: 34612592Free PMC Article
Dysglycemia in Children with Severe Acute Malnutrition: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Ledger E, Harawa PP, Daniel AI, Candler T, Prentice AM, Bandsma RHJ
Adv Nutr 2021 Jun 1;12(3):959-968. doi: 10.1093/advances/nmaa138. PMID: 33179024Free PMC Article
Effectiveness of Interventions for Managing Acute Malnutrition in Children under Five Years of Age in Low-Income and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Das JK, Salam RA, Saeed M, Kazmi FA, Bhutta ZA
Nutrients 2020 Jan 1;12(1) doi: 10.3390/nu12010116. PMID: 31906272Free PMC Article
Psychosocial stimulation interventions for children with severe acute malnutrition: a systematic review.
Daniel AI, Bandsma RH, Lytvyn L, Voskuijl WP, Potani I, van den Heuvel M
J Glob Health 2017 Jun;7(1):010405. doi: 10.7189/jogh.07.010405. PMID: 28567278Free PMC Article
Do children with uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition need antibiotics? A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Alcoba G, Kerac M, Breysse S, Salpeteur C, Galetto-Lacour A, Briend A, Gervaix A
PLoS One 2013;8(1):e53184. Epub 2013 Jan 9 doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0053184. PMID: 23326395Free PMC Article

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