Predictive value of the appetite test and an assessment of aetiology and resistance in infections in severely malnourished children – The Appetite study
Principal investigator: Mike Zangenberg1
Co-investigators: Alemseged Abdissa2, Jørgen Kurtzhals1, Henrik Friis1, Tsinuel Girma2 and Øystein Haarklau Johansen3
Collaborating institutions: 1) University of Copenhagen, 2) Jimma University, 3) University of Bergen
Short description of the ongoing study (Background, objective and methods): Severe acute mal-nutrition (SAM) affects millions of children in low- and middle-income countries and is a major cause of childhood mortality. In Ethiopia a significant number of children suffer from SAM and it continues to contribute to deaths among children. In children with SAM, infections may increase the risk of dying and an assessment of a child’s appetite is currently used to determine the need for hospitalization and to decide what treatment the child need. However, the validity of a test of the appetite, to identify children at greatest risk of death is uncertain. This study will provide evidence of the potential value of the appetite test to identify children with SAM and severe infections to improve the diag-nosis and treatment of complications. The study will further-more determine the type of bacteria and their resistance patterns in order to target future antibiotic treatment.
Funding source: 1) Aase og Ejnar Danielsens Fond, 2) Augusti-nus Fonden 3) University of Copenhagen
Study period: September 2015 – November 2018.
Future perspectives: A study in the same cohort assessing the cause of diarrhoea in children with SAM is currently planned and if funding allows, it will start shortly.