Peer-reviewed article
[Nutritional status of children treated for severe malaria in hospital settings in Haut-Katanga (Democratic Republic of Congo)].
Gray Kanteng, Cédric Mwepu, Augustin Mutombo, Numbi Luboya ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study measured the nutritional status of children under five admitted to hospitals in Lubumbashi and Likasi, Democratic Republic of Congo, who had been diagnosed with malaria. Among 34.3% of admitted children with malaria, 32.9% showed acute malnutrition, with severe acute malnutrition affecting 27.5% of cases. The study found that undernutrition (underweight, stunting, and wasting) was associated with uncomplicated rather than severe malaria. The researchers note that nutritional problems in this group are more common than in the general population.
Key points
- Malaria incidence among children under 5 admitted to hospital was 34.3%
- 32.9% of children with malaria had moderate to severe acute malnutrition (27.5% severe)
- 13.9% of children were overweight, with 8.5% severely overweight
- Acute malnutrition was more common in moderate form (67.1%) than severe
- Underweight, stunting, and wasting were significantly associated with uncomplicated malaria rather than severe malaria
Limitations
This is a descriptive cross-sectional study that cannot determine causality between malnutrition and malaria severity. The study only describes the nutritional status of hospitalised children with confirmed malaria in two cities and cannot be generalised to the broader population or non-hospitalised children.
Abstract
This study assessed the nutritional status of children under five years of age admitted and treated for malaria in hospital settings in the cities of Lubumbashi and Likasi. The purpose of this study was to describe the nutritional profile of these children based on anthropometric measurements. We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted in the Haut-Katanga province in southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Children under 60 months of age with a positive diagnosis of malaria, biologically confirmed by a positive RDT and/or a positive thick blood smear, were included. The incidence of malaria was 34.3%. The overall prevalence of acute malnutrition (moderate to severe) was 32.9%, predominantly represented by severe acute malnutrition (27.5%). Acute malnutrition was more frequent in its moderate form (67.1%) and was observed across nearly all age groups. Overweight was identified in 13.9% of children, including 8.5% with severe overweight. A consistently significant association was observed. This study focused on the nutritional status of children under 5 years of age admitted and monitored for malaria in hospital settings in the cities of Lubumbashi and Likasi. The objective was to outline the nutritional profile of these children based on anthropometric measurements. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in the Haut-Katanga province, in the southeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Included were children under 60 months of age with a positive diagnosis of malaria, biologically confirmed by a positive rapid diagnostic test (RDT) and/or a positive thick blood smear. The incidence of malaria was 34.3%. The overall prevalence of acute malnutrition (moderate to severe) was 32.9%, mainly represented by severe malnutrition at 27.5%. Acute malnutrition was more prevalent in its moderate form (67.1%), but was present in almost all age categories. Overweight was observed in 13.9% of children, with severe overweight in 8.5% of children. A consistently significant association was observed between moderate to severe underweight (Z-score <-2 SD), moderate to severe stunting (Z-score <-2 SD), moderate to severe acute malnutrition (Z-score <-2 SD), and uncomplicated malaria rather than severe malaria. There is a relatively high frequency of cases of underweight, wasting, and stunting, often higher than that documented in the general population. Impact studies are needed to establish a potential causal link.