Malnutrition Research Articles

Deucravacitinib in Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis: Comorbidities and Use of Prior and Concomitant Medication in Patients Enrolled in the Phase 3 POETYK PSO-1 and PSO-2 Trials

Introduction: Deucravacitinib, an oral, selective, allosteric tyrosine kinase 2 inhibitor, is approved in the US, EU, and other countries for treatment of adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for systemic therapy. Deucravacitinib was superior to placebo and apremilast in two global, phase 3 trials, POETYK PSO-1 (NCT03624127) and POETYK PSO-2 (NCT03611751), in moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Here, we evaluate the comorbidities present at baseline and use of prior and concomitant medications in the pooled POETYK PSO-1 and PSO-2 trial populations to more comprehensively describe the medical history of individuals who participated in the deucravacitinib phase 3 trials. Methods: In POETYK PSO-1 and PSO-2, adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis were randomized 1:2:1 to oral placebo, deucravacitinib 6 mg once daily, or apremilast 30 mg twice daily. The rates of baseline comorbidities and medications received before and concomitantly with deucravacitinib in the pooled POETYK PSO trials were assessed. Medication classes evaluated included antidiabetic, antihypertensive and cardiovascular, lipid-reducing, anti-anxiety/depression, and oral contraceptive therapies. Results: Baseline patient demographics were similar across treatment arms. Metabolism and nutrition disorders were reported most often in each treatment arm (placebo, 42.7%; deucravacitinib, 39.2%; apremilast, 38.4%), followed by vascular disorders (33.7%, 34.9%, and 31.8%, respectively). Hypertension was the most common baseline medical condition (placebo, 30.3%, deucravacitinib, 32.8%, and apremilast, 29.1%), with obesity, hyperlipidemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and seasonal allergies each reported in 10% to 12% of patients in at least one treatment arm. Antihypertensive and cardiovascular agents, lipid-reducing agents, and antidiabetic agents were the most commonly reported medications. Conclusion: The phase 3 POETYK PSO trials enrolled adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis with a range of comorbidities consistent with the real-world population of patients with psoriasis. Medication classes used by patients were consistent with the comorbidities reported at baseline in both trials.

Evaluation of the Aral Region Adolescent Nutrition with the FFQ_KZ Questionnaire

ABSTRACT The rapid drop in the Aral Sea’s level since the 1960s has resulted in an environmental disaster and major shifts in quality of life. The research aims to determine the eating habits of adolescents from 11 to 17 years old living in the Aral Sea Basin by using an FFQ questionnaire. The respondents’ diets were found to be unbalanced due to a shortage of proteins, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and complex carbohydrates, with a predominance of easily digestible carbohydrates and plant proteins. The study highlights the need for educational efforts to increase awareness of the consequences of poor nutrition.

Maternal Perceptions and Feeding Practices Associated with Infant Nutritional Status.

Malnutrition in early childhood has long-term health consequences, including increased obesity risk due to catch-up growth in undernourished infants. While maternal perceptions and feeding practices affect infant malnutrition, limited evidence exists in middle-income countries like Mexico. This study examines the associations between maternal perceptions, feeding practices, and nutritional status in infants aged 6-12 months in northeastern Mexico. A total of 192 mother-infant dyads were assed using questionnaires and anthropometric measurements. Maternal variables included perception of hunger and satiety, infant weight perception, feeding attitudes, self-efficacy, fatigue, and feeding practices. Infant nutritional status was determined using WHO Anthro, and multiple logistic regression identified associations between maternal and infant factors and nutritional status. 38% of infants were overweight/obese, and 7% were underweight. Low maternal self-efficacy, low perception of hunger and satiety signs, non-recommended feeding attitudes, and inaccurate perception of infant weight were identified. Maternal nocturnal sleep hours, type of feeding, and feeding frequency were associated to underweight. The maternal perception of infant weight was inaccurate for both underweight (mothers overestimate the weight) and overweight/obese (mothers underestimate the weight) infants. The main maternal perception influencing infant nutritional status was inaccurate weight perception. Mothers demonstrated limited knowledge and negative feeding practices with non-recommended feeding practices among Mexican mothers. Longer maternal sleep duration (> 8h/night) was associated with underweight infants.

A One Health Approach to Reducing Livestock Disease Prevalence in Developing Countries: Advances, Challenges, and Prospects.

Challenges in livestock production in developing countries are often linked to a high disease prevalence and may be related to poor husbandry, feeding, and nutrition practices, as well as to inadequate access to preventive veterinary care. Structural barriers including chronic poverty, gender roles, inadequate supply chains, and limitations in surveillance infrastructure further complicate progress. Despite many challenges, the livestock sector substantially contributes to agricultural GDP, and reducing livestock disease prevalence is a goal for many countries. One Health initiatives that work across disciplines and sectors to reduce livestock diseases are underway around the world and use integrated approaches that consider the connections between humans, animals, and their shared environments. The growing recognition of the role livestock play in sustainability and livelihoods, as well as their involvement in zoonotic disease transmission and global health security, has highlighted the need for disease reduction strategies as described in this review.

Enabling biocontained plant virus transmission studies through establishment of an axenic whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) colony on plant tissue culture.

Whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci) and the diseases they transmit are a major detriment to crop yields and a significant contributor to world hunger. The highly evolved interactions of host plant, phloem-feeding insect vector with endosymbionts and persistently transmitted virus represent a tremendous challenge for interdisciplinary study. Presented here is the establishment of a colony of axenic whiteflies on tissue-cultured plants. Efficient colony establishment was achieved by a surface sterilization of eggs laid on axenic phototrophically tissue-cultured plants. The transfer of emerging whiteflies through coupled tissue culture vessels to new axenic plants facilitates robust subculturing and produces hundreds of whitefly adults per month. Whitefly proliferation on more than two dozen plant species is shown as well as in vitro testing of whitefly preference for different plants. This novel multi-organism system provides the high-level of biocontainment required by Federal permitting to conduct virus transmission experiments. Axenic whitefly adults were able to acquire and transmit a begomovirus into tissue-cultured plants, indicating that culturable gut microorganisms are not required for virus transmission. The approach described enables a wide range of hypotheses regarding whitefly phytopathology without the expense, facilities, and contamination ambiguity associated with current approaches.

Advancing Nutritional Disorder Classification: Unleashing the Impact of ICD-11 on Clinical Practice and Public Health.

Advancing Nutritional Disorder Classification: Unleashing the Impact of ICD-11 on Clinical Practice and Public Health.

Predictors of mortality among older adults discharged to or readmitted from a skilled nursing facility.

Previous studies have shown that patients who are readmitted to the hospital from a skilled nursing facility (SNF) have a higher mortality rate. The objective of this study is to determine factors associated with high mortality rate for older adults who require hospital readmission while on presumed short stay in SNF to trigger a goals-of-care discussion. Retrospective study of 847 patients aged 65 and above who were discharged from 1 large urban academic medical center to multiple SNF in 2019. Charts of 847 patients admitted to SNF after an acute hospital stay were reviewed; their overall 1-year mortality rate was 28.3%. The 1-year mortality rate among individuals readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge to SNF was 50%, whereas for those who did not require readmission, the rate was 22%. For the most common diagnostic categories of nervous system, and musculoskeletal, patients with readmission to hospital within 30 days of discharge to SNF had a roughly threefold higher 1-year mortality rate. Worse frailty score on hospital readmission, poor nutrition, and weight loss were the most impactful individual factors carrying a higher degree of mortality of up to 83%. Hospital discharge to SNF and readmission from SNF within 30 days, further decline in functional status, and malnutrition characterize high-risk groups that should trigger care preference and prognostic discussions with patients as these events may be markers of vulnerability and are associated with high 1-year mortality rates.

Knowledge Regarding Lactation Diet Among Caregivers of Postnatal Mothers in a View to Develop Information Booklet

Background: The role of primary caregiver is crucial in providing care to primigravida mothers in improving health by supporting breastfeeding. According to UNICEF poor nutrition taken by lactating mother is more affecting on infants as well as mothers health. Caregivers are most responsible for provision of postnatal care at hospital and at home too as they used their previous experiences during taking care of postnatal mothers. Food taboos during lactation are stronger than the pregnancy period. According to ministry of family and health welfare it is important to fill the gap between knowledge and practices. The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge and self-reported cultural practices regarding diet during lactation among caregivers with a view of developing information booklet. Methodology: Quantitative research approach is been adopted wherein the non-experimental exploratory research design was used for this study. Approval was taken from IEC, BV (DU) CON, Pune. Non-probability purposive sampling technique was used to collect data from caregivers which was validated from the experts and reliability, pilot study was done to conduct the study. The study was conducted on 200 caregivers of primipara postnatal mothers from selected hospitals of Pune city. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Result: Majority (73%) findings of the caregivers have average knowledge regarding diet during lactation and also it showed significant association between age, religion, relationship with postnatal mother and dietary pattern of postnatal mother. Conclusion: To conclude this study on basis of above findings, the aim of this study is achieved. Hence researcher has developed information booklet to update complete knowledge regarding diet during lactation also myths were discussed with the help of evidences.

Investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the nutritional status of infants and toddlers: insights from China.

A comprehensive understanding of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on childhood nutrition is crucial for devising effective mitigation strategies. However, existing knowledge regarding the pandemic's effect on childhood nutritional status remains limited. Furthermore, research focusing on young children aged 0-3years is scarce. Leveraging the outbreak that originated in Wuhan in Dec 2019, the epicenter of China's first and largest outbreak, and national survey and statistical yearbook data, this study conducted a natural experimental analysis with the consideration of geographical exposure, temporal exposure and survey cohort effects to investigate the pandemic's impacts on varying nutritional indicators of infants and toddlers aged 0-36months. A comprehensive set of sensitivity analyses, robustness checks and falsification tests were conducted. The potential heterogeneities across socioeconomic and age groups were also examined. The pandemic was robustly predictive of a higher weight-for-age z-score (WAZ) and length/height-for-age z-score (HAZ), and a lower likelihood of underweight. The effects of the pandemic on increasing WAZ and reducing underweight were more pronounced among children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds or aged 0-12months. Additionally, the increasing HAZ was primarily among children from households with lower family income. Moreover, the pandemic was negatively linked to the body mass index (BMI)-for-age z-score (BAZ) of children residing in more developed cities, and positively linked to overweight/obesity among children aged 13-24months. This study adds to a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on childhood nutrition. Notably, the findings highlight that weight gain attributable to the pandemic was predominantly among vulnerable children from disadvantaged backgrounds and younger age groups, who were already at a higher risk of overweight/obesity before the pandemic. Consequently, our findings imply the necessity of greater caution to the widened gap in childhood malnutrition post-pandemic. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the importance of implementing adaptable strategies with the consideration of social justice to safeguard all children's right to optimal growth from exogenous shocks and to achieve the children-related SDGs by 2030.

Nutritional disorders and nutrition-related conditions: an underestimated clinical problem in systemic sclerosis

Nutritional disorders are significant but often underestimated complications in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). The most prevalent nutritional disorders in SSc are malnutrition, affecting up to 62.5% of patients, and sarcopenia, with a frequency of up to 42%. Thus, clinical vigilance is recommended for the detection of eating disorders in SSc patients, particularly those with gastrointestinal involvement, cardiopulmonary complications, an advanced disease stage, and high disease activity. Nutritional treatment should be carefully tailored to the patients’ clinical condition to ensure that it effectively addresses their specific needs. Studies focusing on enteral nutrition in SSc patients demonstrate its effectiveness in stabilizing or improving nutritional status in malnourished patients. In severe cases, parenteral nutrition offers viable options to support patient health. The findings highlight the importance of early nutritional assessment and intervention in improving patient outcomes and suggest that individualized nutritional therapy can be a critical component of comprehensive care for SSc patients.

Exploring the link between celiac disease and obesity: a potential role of gut microbiome.

In today's age, celiac disease (CD) is no longer solely characterized by chronic diarrhea in a malnourished child. Obesity is gradually being acknowledged as part of CD's clinical course. Both conditions have been linked to alterations of gut microbiome. Given the difficulty of strict gluten-free diet adherence, there is a need for less restrictive adjunctive therapies. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of obesity in patients diagnosed with CD with the goal of developing new therapeutic approaches. Baseline data from the National Institute of Health's All of Us Research Program, was used to evaluate the relationship between CD and obesity. A retrospective cohort study was conducted where groups of individuals with CD and without CD were matched by age range and health surveys. Statistical analysis with odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were reported. The prevalence of obesity was 32.6% in the CD group compared to 18.4% in the control group (OR, 2.111; 95% CI, 1.914-2.328; P< 0.0001). Women accounted for a greater population of patients with CD and obesity. The largest percentage of patients with CD and obesity were older than 65 years. The highest percentage of individuals in both the experimental and control groups were white, followed by African Americans. Our data shows a significant association between CD and increased prevalence of obesity. These results warrant further investigation into microbial changes and dietary exposures that affect the pathogenesis of both diseases.

Association of greening bacterium with fruit morphological disorder ‘Waywar’ in monsoon cropping of Nagpur mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) grown in central India

Abstract In the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra and the surrounding parts of central India, Waywar (citrus greening bacterium) fruit disorder, also known as wasteful fruit disorder, is a common manifestation of Nagpur mandarin fruit. In Vidarbha, the condition is also known as cock bund, while in China, it is called ‘Red Nose.’ According to early research, this condition is caused by abiotic stress factors, such as poor nutrition, too much moisture in the root zone, and other incorrect cultural practices. Recent research, however, has unequivocally shown that Candidatus Liberobacter asiaticus, the citrus greening bacterium, is responsible for this illness. When compared to normal growing fruits (0.82–0.89), the length to diameter ratio of Waywar fruits at the peak of incidence was reported in the range of 0.95–1.09, indicating their oblong shape. Premature Waywar fruits had higher acidity levels (1.75 to 2.04%) than normal fruits (1.65 to 2.03%) and produced seeds that were not viable. The cultural treatments applied to reduce the ill effects of the disorder improved the physico-chemical characteristics of Nagpur mandarin fruit at the time of harvesting. When compared to the untreated control, foliar spraying with growth regulators 2,4-D (15 ppm) and GA3 (15 ppm) enhanced the amount of fruit retained per plant at harvest. The critical fruit quality parameters like TSS (10.10%) and vitamin C (39.37 mg/100 ml) were highest in GA3 treated fruits. Maximum TSS/Acid ratio (14.00) and minimum acidity (0.69%) were noted with phosphorus applied at three times the RDF level at harvest.

Clinical Phenotypes Associated with the Gut Microbiome in Older Japanese People with Care Needs in a Nursing Home

Background: Frailty increases the risk of needing nursing care and significantly affects the life and functional prognosis of older individuals. Early detection and tailored interventions are crucial for maintaining and enhancing their life functions. Recognizing distinct clinical phenotypes is essential for devising appropriate interventions. This study aimed to explore diverse frailty phenotypes, focusing on poor nutrition in older Japanese individuals through observational research. Methods: Twenty-one nursing home residents underwent a comprehensive survey covering physical, blood, dietary, cardiac, cognitive, nutritional, nursing care, frailty, agitated behavior, and gut microbiome assessments (high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing). Using clustering analysis with 239 survey items (excluding gut microbiome), participants were classified into subgroups based on clinical phenotypes, and group characteristics were compared through analysis. Results: Individuals with moderate or severe frailty and suspected dementia formed subgroups with distinct clinical phenotypes based on nutritional, defecation, and nursing care statuses. The gut microbiome significantly varied among these groups (p = 0.007), indicating its correlation with changes in clinical phenotype. Nutritional status differences suggested poor nutrition as a differentiating factor in the core clinical phenotype. Conclusions: This study proposes that the gut microbiome differs based on the clinical phenotype of Japanese older individuals with frailty, and targeted interventions addressing the gut microbiome may contribute to preventing frailty in this population.

The effect of probiotic, prebiotic, and synbiotic supplements on anthropometric measures and respiratory infections in malnourished children: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BackgroundMalnutrition remains a significant concern in many societies. This study systematically reviewed the effects of probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics on anthropometric measures in malnourished children, focusing on changes in weight, height, and respiratory infections (primary outcomes), and head circumference, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and body mass index (BMI) as secondary outcomes.MethodsThis systematic review and meta-analysis involved searching various databases in both Persian and English, including Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, and PubMed up to October 5, 2024. Non-randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were excluded. The Cochrane Handbook Risk of Bias Version 2 tool was used to assess risk of bias, and RevMan 5.3 software was employed for analysis. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on the type of supplement received. Meta-regression was applied to identify factors influencing results, and the GRADE approach was used to evaluate evidence certainty.ResultsTwelve studies with a total of 3,086 children (aged up to 6 years, equally distributed between boys and girls) were included. All children were malnourished without underlying illnesses. Limitations of the study included variations in intervention type, dose, duration, and timing of outcome measurement. Meta-analysis revealed that probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics may increase weight (6 trials, mean difference: 0.33 kg, 95% CI: 0.15 to 0.50, low certainty of evidence), while probiotics and synbiotics may increase height compared to control groups (5 trials, mean difference: 0.44 cm, 95% CI: 0.02 to 0.85, low certainty of evidence). However, probiotics and synbiotics did not show a statistically significant effect on lower respiratory tract infections (5 trials, risk ratio: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.68 to 1.04, moderate certainty of evidence). Meta-regression indicated that intervention type, sample size, and follow-up duration were not significant moderators for outcomes related to weight, height, or respiratory infections.ConclusionThe current evidence suggests that probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics supplements may help manage malnutrition-related outcomes in malnourished children, but further research with stronger study designs is needed to confirm these findings due to the low certainty of evidence.

The trend in neurological diseases in Moscow adolescents, before and after the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction. During the pandemic the stress level among adolescents has increased significantly due to the uncertainty of the future, awareness for the health of their friends and family, and changes in the educational process and daily routine. In addition, increased time spent indoors, lack of physical activity, poor nutrition and sleep disorders also contribute to the deterioration of the nervous system of adolescents. It is necessary to conduct additional research and monitoring of the incidence of the nervous system among adolescents in the post-pandemic period to assess and prevent possible negative consequences on their health. The purpose is to analyze the trend in the incidence of diseases of the nervous system in adolescents, including gender differences, using the example of Moscow over the period before and after the Covid-19 pandemic. Materials and methods. The following methods are applied: summary and grouping, calculation of relative and average values, dynamics series, distribution indices, analysis of statistical aggregates. The data of the federal statistical observation form No. 12 “Information on the number of diseases registered in patients living in the service area of a medical institution” for 2016–2023 was used. Results. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Moscow, there was an increase in the incidence during the “post-covid” period. In 2021–2023, the gain in the incidence of disorders of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) is twofold higher than over the five-year “pre-covid” period. Research limitations. The study has regional (Moscow) limitations. Conclusions. The average Moscow rates of the morbidity of the nervous system, while remaining lower than the Russian ones, are approaching them in trend. There were no significant changes in the difference between diseases in boys and girls, but in terms of episodic and paroxysmal disorders, the trend in convergence of indices was noted.

A Retrospective Report on the Infestation and Distribution of Chiggers on an Endemic Rodent Species (Apodemus latronum) in Southwest China

Chiggers are the exclusive vector of Orientia tsutsugamushi, which is the causative agent of scrub typhus. Based on the field surveys in southwest China between 2001 and 2022, this paper retrospectively reported the chigger infestation and distribution on the large-eared field mouse (Apodemus latronum), an endemic rodent species in the region, for the first time. A total of 933 chiggers were collected from 501 mice, and these chiggers were identified as 2 families, 8 genera, and 61 species. The overall infestation prevalence (PM) and mean abundance (MA) of A. latronum with chiggers reached 19.76% and 1.86 mites/per mouse, respectively. The chigger infestation indices on adult A. latronum (PM = 38.28%, MA = 5.11) were higher than those on juvenile mice (PM = 12.63%, MA = 0.97) with p &lt; 0.01, showing an age bias of infestation. The relative fatness (K) was used to reflect the nutrition status of the mouse host. The mouse hosts with good nutrition (K = 3.4 ± 0.89 g/cm3) harbored fewer chiggers than the hosts with poor nutrition (K = 2.2 ± 0.90 g/cm3) (p &lt; 0.01). The infestation indices of chiggers on A. latronum obviously fluctuated along different altitude gradients (p &lt; 0.01). With the increase in altitudes, the β diversity of the chigger community showed a gradually increasing tendency. The spillover chord diagram, which was based on indices of PAC (potential for apparent competition), revealed high spillover potentials of dominant chigger species dispersing from high altitude gradients to the lowest one. The chigger abundance was positively correlated with the mean monthly temperature (tmp), mean monthly humidity (hum), the mean monthly precipitation (pre), and the human footprint (hfp), and it was negatively correlated with the altitude (ele) (p &lt; 0.05). The temperature and humidity are the most important factors which influence the chigger infestation.

Zinc Deficiency and Impact on Lipid Profiles in Malnourished Children in Senegal

Aims: Zinc is an important element for the body because of the role it plays in the structure but also in the catalytic activity of several metabolic enzymes. The aim of this study is to evaluate the zinc status in malnourished children and its association with lipid profile parameters. Study Design: This is a cross-sectional and prospective analytical study. Place and Duration of Study: This is a fifteen-month study, conducted at the Diamniadio Children's Hospital. Children under five years of age, malnourished according to the weight/height ratio were selected after parental. Methodology: The study population comprised 176 children with a sex ratio of 1, of whom 49% with severe acute malnutrition, 41% moderately malnourished and 10% undernourished. Zinc was determined using Biosystem's® 5 Br PAPS colorimetric method. To compare the groups, we used the Chi-squared test (X2) or the Fisher's exact test. For the comparison of quantitative variables between the targeted groups, we used the ANOVA test. Zinc, total cholesterol (TC), HDL cholesterol (HDLc) and LDL cholesterol (LDLc) were significantly lower in the malnourished. Hypozincemia was found in 66% of children. TC, HDLc and triglycerides (TG) are significantly lower in malnourished patients with hypozincemia with a mean average of 2.99 ± 1.31 mmol/L (p&lt; 0.001), 0.56 ± 0.36 mmol/L (p=0.007) and 1.73 ± 0.85 mmol/L (p=0.004), respectively. There is a positive correlation between zinc and the various lipid profile parameters. TC (r=0.314; &lt; 0.001), HDLc (r=0.326; p&lt; 0.001), LDLc (r=0.200; p=0.008) and TG (r= 0.229; p=0.002). Conclusion: The management of hypozincemia is essential within the follow-up of malnourished children. Zinc supplementation can prevent dyslipidemia, which is secondary to malnutrition and serve as a preventive measure against dyslipidemia in malnourished children.

Canned complementary porridges for infants and young children (6-23 months) based on African indigenous crops; nutritional content, consistency, sensory, and affordability compared to traditional porridges based on maize and finger millet.

Child malnutrition is a major health problem in Sub-Saharan Africa. Complementary foods made from African indigenous and locally available raw materials are often low in protein and nutrients. It is, therefore, important to supply complementary foods that are nutritious and affordable, and with an acceptable consistency and taste. The objective of this study was to develop, on a pilot scale, food-to-food fortified, convenient, canned complementary porridges based on blends of African indigenous crops, i.e., orange fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) flour, and leguminous (i.e., cowpea, and Bambara groundnut) and cereal flours (i.e., teff, finger millet, maize, and amaranth), and milk powder. Plant-based, African complementary foods are often lacking in vitamin A, zinc, iron, and energy. Porridge with OFSP on a 32% dry weight (dw) basis achieved recommended levels of vitamin A (530 µg per 100 g dw). Satisfactory energy (431 Kcal per 100 g dw) was obtained by supplementation of vegetable oil. A nutritious, low-cost porridge (costing 0.15 € per 100 g can) that fulfills consistency constraints was obtained by including supplements of zinc and iron salts as ingredients. The solids content and thus protein/energy could be significantly increased using protein fractionated or germinated cowpea flours without compromising on viscosity. The sensory profile was characterised by more intense vegetable, leguminous, and malty flavours as compared to traditional reference porridges.

Recovery time and its predictors of severe acute malnutrition among under five children admitted at the therapeutic feeding center of Hiwot Fana comprehensive specialized hospital, eastern Ethiopia, 2024: a semi-parametric model

BackgroundEarly recovery is a performance indicator of quality care for children under five admitted due to severe acute malnutrition (SAM) at therapeutic feeding centers. Despite the available interventions to tackle such nutritional problems, there is limited information on the time to recovery and its predictors among children with severe acute malnutrition in Ethiopia, more particularly in the study setting.ObjectiveThe study aimed to assess the time to recovery from severe acute malnutrition and its predictors among children aged 6–59 months admitted to the therapeutic feeding center (TFC) of Hiwot Fana Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (HFCSH), eastern Ethiopia, from 1st September 2019 to 1st March 012024.MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted at the therapeutic feeding center of HFCSH among a randomly selected sample of 349 patients with severe acute malnutrition who were undergoing therapeutic feeding. Data were collected using a data abstraction tool and then stored in Epi-data version 4.6 and STATA version 17.0 statistical software. Descriptive statistics, Kaplan–Meier (KM) plots, median survival times, the log-rank test, and the Cox proportional hazards regression model were used to report the findings of this study. After performing the Cox proportional hazards regression, the model goodness of fit and assumptions were checked. Finally, the association between independent variables and the time to recovery in days was assessed using the multivariable Cox proportional hazards model, and the variables with a p-value &amp;lt;0.05 were considered statistically significant.ResultsThe median survival time to recovery among the patients with severe acute malnutrition was 17 days [95% confidence interval (CI): 16–18]. The incidence density recovery rate was 5.7 (95%CI, 4.9–6.6) per 100 person-days of observation. Factors that affected the time to recovery included residing in rural areas [adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) = 2.072; 95%CI = 1.336–3.215], being vaccinated according to age (AHR = 1.848; 95%CI = 1.162–2.939), and lack of analgesic administration (AHR = 0.685; 95%CI = 0.472–0.995).ConclusionThe median survival time to recovery in this study was found to be optimal. Residency, vaccination status of the child, and analgesic administration were the determinant factors. Paying attention to vaccination coverage, fever management, and pain management as part of the protocol helps reduce the length of hospital stay by facilitating recovery rates among severely malnourished children under five in Ethiopia.

Impact of Nutritional Therapy During Intensive Care Unit Admission on Post Intensive Care Syndrome in Patients COVID-19.

Nutritional therapy is an important component of intensive care. We investigated the associations of nutritional therapy in the acute phase of severe COVID-19 with the long-term outcomes of post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) and post-COVID-19 conditions. A questionnaire on the health status after COVID-19 was sent to patients 1 year after infection and PICS was evaluated. Total energy and protein intakes during the first week after admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) were calculated. The primary endpoint was a decrease in quality of life (QOL) defined by EuroQol5-dimensions 5-level (EQ5D5L) <0.8. A multivariable regression analysis was used to examine. A total of 220 ICU patients were included in this study. Median total energy and protein intakes were 65.1 kcal/kg/week and 3.3 g/kg/week, respectively. Total energy and protein intakes were associated with EQ5D5L scores (Energy: unit odds ratio 0.98 [0.97-0.99], p-value<0.01; protein: unit odds ratio 0.72 [0.59-0.87], p-value<0.01). Insufficient total energy and protein intakes were associated with malaise, arthralgia, myalgia, palpitations, sleep disturbance, and muscle weakness. Poor nutrition during the first week after ICU admission was associated with a decreased QOL one year after. These nutrition shortages were also associated with an increased risk of developing PICS, post-COVID-19 conditions, which may contribute to decreased QOL.