Comparison of Different Feeding Protocols for the Treatment of Acute Malnutrition - Trial NCT04045249

Timeline & Enrollment

Primary Outcome

Growth velocity,Growth velocity,Growth velocity,Duration of recovery from SAM,Rate of relapse,Rate of mortality

Summary

Though malnutrition is prevalent worldwide but its situation is alarming in low- and
 middle-income countries. Pakistan has also been facing an alarming situation of prevailing
 severe malnutrition. Malnutrition in its any form costs a huge intolerable burden not only on
 national health care system, but also on social and economic fabric of the nation. The
 current management of severe malnutrition is based on World Health Organization (WHO)
 guidelines and protocols which has been evolved from expert opinions and observational
 studies. The principles of these protocols have emerged from emergency settings and
 converting these protocols for developing countries where severe malnutrition, a routine
 burden is a critical challenge. In the absence of standard protocols for the treatment of
 uncomplicated severe malnutrition in non-emergency settings it is important to test and
 optimize different approaches to treat severely acute malnutrition (SAM). It is hypothesized
 that by optimizing, adapting and implementing time oriented and resource intensive
 approaches, a huge burden of high cost of RUTF may be reduced. While RUTF may be utilized to
 treat SAM children in emergency settings, it is not a substitute of local household foods.
 Therefore, a pilot study has been conducted to compare the various treatment protocols for
 malnourished children. We specifically hypothesized that a reduced dose of RUTF for reduced
 duration, combined with age-appropriate food intake from locally available resources can
 treat uncomplicated SAM children cost effectively as compared to standard national Community
 Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) protocol currently implemented in Punjab, Pakistan.

ICD-10 Classifications