Year: 2024 | Month: May | Volume: 14 | Issue: 5 | Pages: 363-367
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20240548
Weights Must Not be Taken Lightly: Burden of Severe Acute Malnutrition Patients in a Rural Tertiary Care Hospital of Maharashtra
Dr Monalisa Panjwani1, Dr Chatterjee Rajib2, Dr Jayashree P Jadhav3
1Post Graduate Resident, Department of Pediatrics, 2Professor and HOU, Department of Pediatrics, 3Professor and HOD, Department of Pediatrics
Dr. BVP Rural Medical College, PIMS University, Loni, Ahmednagar, India
Corresponding Author: Monalisa Panjwani
ABSTRACT
Aim: To identify the magnitude of the burden of co-morbidities of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in a rural tertiary care centre in Maharashtra, to facilitate necessary planning for care to reduce disparity in urban and rural outcomes of these patients.
Methods: From March 2023 to April 2024, data was collected from the wards of a tertiary care rural hospital. Children with SAM were examined and managed for primary complaints, any associated co morbidities, and nutritional rehabilitation was done.
Results: Presenting diagnosis was most commonly respiratory tract infection, including tuberculosis, and acute gastroenteritis, followed by anemia and acute febrile illness. Co-morbidities such as chronic diarrhoea (12, 14%), congenital heart disease (4, 4.7%), neurological involvement such as cerebral palsy, meningitis, infantile tremor syndrome and spinal muscular atrophy (14, 16.6%), bony abnormalities such as rickets with spine deformities and bowed legs causing abnormal posture and delayed mobility (10, 11.9%) also contributed to the burden in our setup.
Conclusion: This study is an attempt to enhance data about the gravity of malnutrition and thus the need for improvement in facilities for the care of these patients to reduce the vicious cycle of malnutrition and infections.
Key words: Malnutrition, child health, SAM, diet, anemia, edema, wasting