Nutritional Status by Anthropometric Evaluation of Infants Suffering From Neonatal Cholestasis Attending Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, BSMMU, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Abstract

Background: Neonatal cholestasis is an uncommon but potentially serious condition that indicates hepatobiliary dysfunction. Nutritional deficiencies are common in infants with any chronic hepatitis diseases, especially when cholestasis is present and its onset occurs in the first of life. It is important to assess nutritional status in infant with neonatal cholestasis for nutritional intervention and better prognosis. However very few organized effort has been made to evaluate the nutritional status of infants with neonatal cholestasis. Objective: To observe the nutritional status by anthropometric evaluation of infants suffering from neonatal cholestasis attending department of Paediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, BSMMU. Study design: Cross-sectional observational study. Study setting and period: This study was conducted in department of Paediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, BSMMU, during 6 month period from April, 2013 to September, 2013. Study population: Eighty infants of neonatal cholestasis attending in department of Paediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, BSMMU, who developed conjugated hyperbilirubinemia (appears before or beyond 14 days and progress after this time or does not resolve at this time but appears within 3 months of age) were included in this study. Methods: All data were recorded in a specially designed semi structured questionnaire form. All patients with symptoms of neonatal cholestasis (jaundice, pale stool and dark urine) who attended the department of paediatric gastroenterology and nutrition, BSMMU, Dhaka, Bangladesh were enrolled for the study. Detailed history taking and physical examination including anthropometric measurements of all these patients were done and recorded by researcher herself. The assessment included weight (W) and length (L). Nutritional status were determined from the Z score (Z) for the following indices: W/A, LA, W/L and using reference values from the World Health organization (WHO). ...............