Nutritional Status Of Pediatric Patients Research Articles

Usefulness and description of the intestinal bypass technique in children with short bowel syndrome: report of a Mexican cohort.

Short bowel syndrome (SBS) is one of the most frequent causes of intestinal failure, needing parenteral nutrition to maintain an energy-protein and water-electrolyte balance. At the Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez (HIMFG), the formation of two stomas is a technique used for intestinal rehabilitation, where the use of residue through the bypass technique (BT) helps to maintain gastrointestinal functionality, water-electrolyte, and nutritional stability. This study aimed to describe the technique of using intestinal residue through BT as a treatment strategy in intestinal rehabilitation and its effect on the biochemical and nutritional status of pediatric patients with SBS. An analytical and retrospective cross-sectional study was performed in patients hospitalized at HIMFG with SBS who underwent BT during their hospital stay between 2019 and 2020 and then followed up for 8 weeks. A total of 10 patients were included in this study, with a mean age of 24 months; 50% were female. BT was able to reduce the inflammatory process in the liver caused by the continuous use of parenteral nutrition; enteral caloric intake increased from 25.32 kcal/kg/day to 72.94 kcal/kg/day, but it was insufficient to improve their nutritional status. BT is a safe and effective alternative in intestinal rehabilitation in patients with SBS to stimulate trophism and intestinal functionality, allowing a progression of enteral feeding and a decrease in the hepatic inflammatory process that occurs in these patients with prolonged parenteral nutrition.

Nutritional status of pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel diseases is related to disease duration and clinical picture at diagnosis

This cross-sectional study presents the nutritional status of newly diagnosed pediatric patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) and its association with the duration of the disease and selected clinical features. We analyzed the data of 41 pediatric patients with CD and 29 with UC (mean age: 13.1 y, range: 5.2–18.0 y) up to 3 mo. from diagnosis. Anthropometry included body weight, body height, body mass index (BMI), three skinfold thicknesses, mid-upper arm circumference and mid-upper arm muscle circumference adjusted for age and sex using national standards. Anthropometry was linked to the disease duration, location of the disease, symptoms, and blood test results. Both studied groups presented significantly lower BMI compared to the reference population, but only children with CD characterized with significantly worse nutritional status according to arm anthropometry. In CD, better nutritional status was associated mainly with longer disease duration and, to a lesser extent, with extraintestinal manifestations, perianal disease, and small intestinal lesions. In UC, anemia at diagnosis was associated with poor nutritional status. Our finding emphasizes the need for more attentive diagnostic care for pediatric patients who exhibit extraintestinal symptoms or perianal disease with no obvious signs of malnutrition, to avoid diagnostic delays.

Analysis of the Impact of Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis on Nutritional Status in Pediatric Chronic Kidney Disease

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a serious problem for all age groups, particularly in children. Several studies have shown that patients with CKD who underwent dialysis, including Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD), experienced malnutrition, short stature and growth retardation. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between the indicators of CAPD regiments with the nutritional status of pediatric patients with CKD and factors that influence it.
 Method: We conducted a cross-sectional study by collecting secondary data from medical records such as disease stage and duration, the most recent CAPD regimen, etiology, and comorbidities. Data on nutritional status was then obtained by measuring body weight, height, and upper arm circumference. The measurement was then plotted using the WHO anthropometry application or the CDC growth chart. Demographic data such as the education level of father and mother, family economic status, age, and gender were obtained by filling out the Case Report Form (CRF).
 Result: A total of fifteen respondents were included in this study.  Children with CKD who underwent CAPD primarily had normal nutritional status with very short stature. Furthermore, no significant association was found between the CAPD regiments with the nutritional status of children with chronic kidney disease who are undergoing CAPD (p>0.05).
 Conclusion: Children with CKD who underwent CAPD primarily had normal nutritional status with very short stature. There was no correlation between the parameters of CAPD regiments with the nutritional status of CKD patients who underwent CAPD. This indicates that the regiment used in this study is already quite satisfactory as it does not impact the nutritional status of those patients.

Height, weight, and body mass index in patients with familial dysautonomia.

Children with familial dysautonomia (FD) are smaller and grow more slowly than the general population. It is unknown whether this abnormal growth is due to comorbidities that patients with FD live with, or if it is a direct effect of the disease-causing homozygous ELP-1 mutations. Here, we created growth curves for weight, height, and body mass index (BMI) in male and female children with FD to monitor the nutritional status of patients with FD. We used the New York University (NYU) FD Registry which includes data from 680 individuals with FD who were followed longitudinally since birth. We generated sex-specific FD growth charts for three age ranges (birth to 36 months, 2 to 20 years, and 2 to 40 years) and compared them to the general population. We generated Kaplan-Meier curves to test the hypothesis that FD patients with low BMI had shorter survival than the rest of the cohort. Growth charts generated from 591 individuals with FD show that these patients grow more slowly, reach less height, and gain less weight than the general population. The impact of FD on height was more pronounced in girls than in boys. However, both groups showed markedly low weights, which resulted in low BMI. Low weight, but not height, is already evident at birth. In a subpopulation of FD patients, we found that treatment with growth hormone or spinal fusion surgery helped patients achieve the expected growth characteristic of FD patients, but these treatments did not lead FD patients to achieve the growth pattern of the general population. Contrary to our hypothesis, low BMI had no impact on patient survival. Pediatric patients with FD have lower height, weight, and BMI compared to the general pediatric population, but this does not appear to affect survival. Growth curves specific to the FD population are an important tool to monitor growth and nutritional status in pediatric patients with FD when the general population growth curves are of limited use.

Assessment of motor function and nutritional status in children with spinal muscular atrophy treated with nusinersen after loading period in Western China: a retrospective study

BackgroundSpinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a progressive degenerative neuromuscular disease. Nusinersen, with its quick onset of action, can benefit patients early in the treatment course. However, there are currently no clinical studies regarding the improvement in motor function and nutritional status of patients after loading period treatment with nusinersen. Here, we aimed to determine the efficacy of nusinersen in improving motor function and nutritional status in children with SMA treated with nusinersen after loading period in Western China.MethodsIn this retrospective study, data for all pediatric patients (aged < 18 years), with genetically confirmed diagnosis of SMA who were treated with nusinersen, were collected before initiation of treatment and after 2 months of treatment. We assessed motor function using standardized scales and nutritional status of patients with SMA as well as side effects of nusinersen.ResultsForty-six pediatric patients aged < 18 years were enrolled in this study. After 2 months of treatment, the motor function of patients with SMA type 1, 2, and 3 improved. The difference in Revised Upper Limb Module scores from M0 to M2 was significant in patients with SMA type 2 and 3 (P = 0.004, P = 0.042, respectively). The difference in Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale Expanded scores from M0 to M2 in patients with SMA type 2 was also significant (P = 0.000). No significant differences were found for Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Infant Test of Neuromuscular Disorder (CHOP-INTEND), Hammersmith Infant Neurologic Examination-Part 2 (HINE-2), and 6-Minute Walking Test (6MWT) scores between M0 and M2, but the scores of CHOP-INTEND, HINE-2, and 6MWT were all increased after loading period treatment. The overall improvement in nutritional status was not statistically significant. No serious adverse effects were observed.ConclusionsOur study provides evidence for the efficacy and safety of nusinersen and the nutritional status of pediatric patients with SMA after the loading period treatment. Motor function of all patients improved after 2 months of loading period nusinersen treatment. Patients with a shorter disease duration showed better response to treatment. Careful surveillance of nutritional status is needed in patients with SMA.

Nutritional Status of Pediatric Patients with Congenital Heart Disease: Pre- and Post-Cardiac Surgery”

Nutritional Status of Pediatric Patients with Congenital Heart Disease: Pre- and Post-Cardiac Surgery”

Nutritional Status and Risk of Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome in Pediatric Patients After Heart Transplantation

<h3>Purpose</h3> Nutritional status in pediatric patients undergoing heart transplantation (HT) is frequently a focus of clinical management and requires high resource utilization. However, no studies have been performed to assess how nutritional status may change after HT and the risk of developing nutritional comorbidities (i.e. metabolic syndrome). <h3>Methods</h3> A single-center retrospective chart review of patients > 2 years of age who underwent HT from 1/1/2005 to 4/30/2020 was performed. Patient data was collected at listing, time of transplant, 1-year, and 3-year follow up (f/u). Nutrition status was classified based on body mass index (BMI) percentile (Table below). Standard univariate analyses were used to examine associations between nutrition status and post-HT morbidity or mortality, including metabolic syndrome. <h3>Results</h3> Of 63 patients who underwent HT, the proportion of patients with overweight/obese status increased from 21% at listing to 41% at 3-year f/u. No underweight patients at listing became overweight/obese at f/u, but 38% of normal weight patients crossed into overweight/obese at 3-year f/u, while 88% of overweight/obese patients maintained that status (Table). Overweight/obese status at listing, 1-year and 3-year post-HT were significantly associated with developing metabolic syndrome post-HT (p≤0.01 for each). Finally, there was no association between nutrition status at listing and immediate post-HT morbidity or mortality with the exception of underweight at listing being a risk for ECMO post-HT (p=0.03). <h3>Conclusion</h3> Patients with normal and overweight/obese status prior to HT are at significant risk to be overweight/obese after HT. Post-HT overweight/obesity is associated with an increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome. These findings underscore the importance of formal post-HT nutritional surveillance and interventions to reduce nutritional comorbidities.

Assessment of nutritional status and characteristics of dietary patterns in a group of pediatric patients

Impaired nutritional status as well as imbalance between dietary requirements and intake may negatively influence child’s growth, development and treatment’s response. This observational study was conducted between July 2021 and March 2022 on 63 pediatric patients, aged 5-18 years old, hospitalized in Târgu-Mureş. The aim of the stu­dy was to evaluate the impact of dietary patterns on nu­tri­tio­nal status. Body composition was assessed by using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Aspects of die­tary pat­terns and patient history were evaluated by a structured ques­tion­naire. The patients were divided into two groups ac­cording to their Body Mass Index: obese/over­weight children – Group 1, and patients with normal weight – Group 2. As for dietary patterns, there were several sta­tis­ti­cally significant differences between the groups. Normal weight children had a higher intake of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, while overweight patients consumed fats, red meat and sweetened beverages more frequently. The in­take of fish, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds was the lowest. The majority of children mentioned that their pre­ferred snacks were fruits but also sweets, while nuts and seeds were consumed mainly by normal weight children. Signs that could suggest emotional eating were more frequent among overweight patients. The results suggest that complex nutritional assessment could be a useful tool in patient’s management by improving the nutritional status of pediatric patients.

ORAL CHANGES IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS WITH EATING DISORDERS.

Numerous oral changes develop as a result of dysfunctional eating behavior in patients with eating disorders (ED). The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation among oral manifestations, age, disease duration and nutritional status in pediatric patients with ED. The study included 50 female ED patients, median age 14 (range 10-18) years and median disease duration 9 (range 1-42) months. Nutritional status was expressed as z-score for body mass index (BMI). Mean BMI z-score was -2.10±1.64. The most commonly observed oral findings were dental plaque, marginal gingivitis, morsicatio, dental calculus, caries, pharyngeal erythema, exfoliative cheilitis and angular cheilitis. Dental plaque and pharyngeal erythema were correlated with shorter disease duration (p=0.048; p=0.040), while frictional keratosis of tongue was correlated with longer disease duration (0.011). Linea alba and pain in the temporomandibular joint were associated with younger age (p=0.012; p=0.024), and tooth impression on tongue with lower degree of nutrition (p=0.030). This study showed that there was a link among oral manifestations, age, disease duration and degree of nutritional disorder, although further investigations comparing the groups of ED patients with different age, disease duration and nutritional status would give better, concrete and precise conclusions.

SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL Nutritional status of pediatric patients living with human immunodeficiency virus in Bogotá, Colombia

SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL Nutritional status of pediatric patients living with human immunodeficiency virus in Bogota, Colombia

Malnutrition at diagnosis and throughout therapy in pediatric patients with solid tumors: A single-institution study in a developing country.

Changesin nutritional status can constitute a risk factor for reduced tolerance and effectiveness of antineoplastic treatment. Knowledge of the nutritional status of pediatric patients is important for implementing interventions to improve outcomes. We aimed to evaluate nutritional status at diagnosis and throughout therapy in pediatric patients with solid tumors. To study the prevalence of malnutrition at diagnosis, compare different assessment tools, and examine longitudinal changes in nutritional status during the treatment of pediatric patients with solid tumors in a Brazilian institution. This prospective single-center study enrolled patients with solid tumors (age <19years) from June 2017 to May 2018. Nutritional evaluations were performed at diagnosis and after 3 and 6months of treatment. z-Scores for height for age (H/A) and body mass index for age (BMI/A) were calculated using the Anthro/AnthroPlus software and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) percentile was used for nutritional classification. The prevalence of nutritional status at diagnosis was 29.3% malnourished, 49.5% adequate, and 21.2% overweight/obese. Nutritional status improved during the first 3months of treatment, with a reduction in the proportion of malnourished patients and an increased number of patients with adequate nutritional status. The two combined indices, BMI/A and MUAC, facilitated the diagnosis of a greater number of patients with solid tumors who had nutritional alterations. A high prevalence of malnutrition was present at diagnosis. Nutritional status improved in the first 3months of treatment and could be related to the multidisciplinary institutional approach following the diagnosis.

Nutritional status of pediatric patients living with human immunodeficiency virus in Bogotá, Colombia

Background: Undernutrition is frequent among children living with HIV in developing countries. An interaction between malnutrition and HIV pediatric infection remains incompletely characterized in Colombia. Methodology: Retrospective longitudinal study, descriptive in nature, in 28 patients with a diagnosis of HIV infection, less than 18 years of age and receiving antiretroviral therapy. Variables were retrieved from clinical records at start of antiretroviral therapy and after 12 months. Statistical analysis was exploratory. Results: 4 out of 28 patients were stunted (14,3%; 95%CI: 1,3 – 27,2), 2 out of 7 patients were wasted (28,6%; 95%CI: 0 – 62), 5 out of 17 patients were underweight (27,8%; 95%CI: 7,1 – 48,5) and 4 out of 28 patients had thinness (29,6%; 95%CI: 12,4 – 46,8). No clinically relevant anthropometric change was detected during follow-up. Anemia prevalence was 52% and 82% of patients had some degree of dyslipidemia. Both viral load (p=0,001) and CD4 count (p=0,01), significantly increased and the proportion of patients with therapeutic failure remained invariable during follow-up. Conclusion: Malnutrition is frequent and its prevalence might have decreased. HIV program improved medical control of the disease, with stable therapeutic failure rates that were comparable with previous reports. Nonetheless, anemia and dyslipidemia remain to be a paramount therapeutic challenge.

Growth and nutritional status of pediatric patients treated with the ketogenic diet.

Ketogenic diet (KD), a well-known nonpharmacologic treatment of intractable epilepsy, could adversely affect growth and nutritional status; however, such data are limited in Thailand. This study aimed to assess growth and nutritional status of Thai children treated with KD together with dietary adherence and its related factors. The records of children treated with KD for more than 1 month between January 2009 to September 2020 were reviewed. Weight, height, and biochemical indices were retrieved at baseline, 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. Type of KDs, compliance and adverse effects were extracted. Forty-eight patients (21 male) were enrolled. Median age was 3.5 years (IQR 0.9, 10.1). There was no significant decrease in weight-for-age z-score (WAZ) despite a trend toward minimal reduction in WAZ at 3 months. Median follow-up time was 13 months (IQR 7, 29.5). Height-for-age z-score (HAZ) significantly decreased at 12 months [median -1.55 (IQR -3.35, -0.43) vs baseline median -0.6 (IQR -2.07, 0.29)]. Adherence of KD in tube feeding patients was better than oral feeding. Thirty seven percent (18/48) of the patients continued the diet beyond 2 years. Early discontinuation before 6 months was mostly due to poor compliance from patients and families (6/11, 55%). Common adverse effects were GI problems (77%), dyslipidemia (64%) and hypercalciuria (29%). Under close monitoring, KD can be administered in Thai children with minimal adverse effects on growth and nutritional status. Adherence depends on route of feeding, clinical response, and cooperation of the families.

Evaluation of nutritional status in pediatric patients diagnosed with Covid-19 infection.

AimThe aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional status, the nutritional effect on the risk of infection and the severity of the disease, and the contribution of nutrition to the course of the infection in pediatric patients diagnosed with coronavirus disease who required additional nutritional support after hospitalization.MethodsThe body weight, height, body mass index, upper arm circumference, and triceps skinfold thickness of 49 patients aged 1 month to 18 years and diagnosed with Covid-19 and then hospitalized at the Ankara City Hospital, Pediatric Health and Diseases Hospital, Pediatric Infection ward between 15 May and 15 June 2020 were measured. Total protein, albumin, prealbumin, selenium, zinc, ferritin, folate, and selenium, C, D, E, and B12 levels were studied from blood drawn simultaneously from the patients.ResultsA total of 49 patients aged 8–18 years were evaluated. The median age was 13 years (age range 8–18). The females made up 53% and the males 47% of the group. No patient needed intensive care admission. Only 3 patients received antibiotic treatment and the others were followed up without treatment. The weight was normal in 75% and the height was normal in 90%. Mid-arm circumference and triceps thickness were normal in 72% of the patients. Vitamin D deficiency was present in 82%, vitamin B12 deficiency in 18%, vitamin C deficiency in 17%, ferritin deficiency in 16%, folate deficiency in 15%, vitamin A deficiency in 13%, and vitamin E deficiency in 7%.ConclusionNo patient required intensive care admission. Only 3 patients received antibiotic treatment and the others were followed up without treatment. Malnourishment was present in 3% of the patients while 9% were obese. Vitamin D deficiency was the most common vitamin deficiency while vitamin B12, vitamin C, Ferritin, vitamin A, vitamin E, and Folate deficiency were less common. Selenium and zinc levels were normal in all patients. There was no correlation between anthropometric values and susceptibility to childhood COVID-19 infection or the clinical course. It is possible that vitamin D deficiency increases susceptibility to the infection.

Nutritional Status of Pediatric Patients with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus from Northeast Poland: A Case-Control Study.

IntroductionA significant increase in the incidence of overweight and obesity is observed among children and adolescents. This problem began to occur not only in healthy populations, but also among young diabetics. The aim of the study was to assess the nutritional status of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) compared to those in a control group of healthy subjects as well as to determine the influence of the type of insulin therapy used.MethodsThe case-control study included 169 people aged 9–15 years. The study group (n = 85) consisted of Polish children with T1DM, and the control group (n = 84) consisted of healthy subjects. The assessment of the nutritional status included anthropometric measurements. Analysis of body composition was carried out by bioelectrical impedance analysis. To assess nutritional behavior a questionnaire was used. Approval was obtained from the ethics committee of the Medical University of Białystok (no. R-I-002/168/2017).ResultsMedian body mass index (BMI) value in the T1DM group was 19.2 kg/m2 and was statistically significantly (P < 0.05) higher than in the control group (17.8 kg/m2). Normal BMI was found in 90% of the individuals in the CSII group, while in the MDI group it was only 61%. The percentage of fat mass was 19.1% in the T1DM group and 17.6% in the healthy group. The percentage of muscle mass was 36.1% and 34.5%, respectively. The abdominal obesity according to waist circumference (above 90th percentile) turned out to be statistically significant (P < 0.01) and occurred more often in adolescents with T1DM (27%), while in the healthy group it was 12%.ConclusionsThe healthy individuals as well as the majority of the children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus were well nourished. People using personal insulin pumps showed better nutritional status than those using insulin pens.Graphical

Nutritional Status of Pediatric Patients in Ramathibodi Hospital Using the WHO Child Growth Standard and the Thai Growth Reference

Background: The appropriate assessment of nutritional status in children is an essential aspect of health supervision. Currently, there are two references used for growth assessment in Thailand. The WHO child growth standard, which has been widely used since 2007, and the Thai growth reference developed by the Ministry of Public Health, which has been used since 1998. However, there were very few studies that made a direct comparison between both tools. Objective: To compare the nutritional status of healthy pediatric patients in Ramathibodi Hospital assessed by the World Health Organization (WHO) child growth standard and the Thai growth reference. Materials and Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional study. The data were collected from all pediatric patients registered in the outpatient department (OPD) of Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital between January 2013 and December 2018. All healthy children (aged 0 to 15 years) were included. Exclusion criteria of possibly chronically ill children were defined by those who were 1) visiting subspecialty clinics, 2) OPD and emergency room (ER) visits more than ten times per year, 3) having ICD-10 of chronic conditions, or 4) had been admitted in the hospital during the study. The weight and height or length data were extracted from the Electronic Medical Record system. All data were analyzed by the Stata Statistical Software focusing on age and sex-specific Z-scores, which references the WHO child growth standard and the Thai growth reference. Results: Sixty-two thousand one hundred four OPD visits were divided into 31,662 OPD visits for boys and 30,442 OPD visits for girls. Percent of weight for age and height or length for age more than +2 Z-score of both boys and girls when using the Thai growth reference was greater than that using the WHO child growth standard, especially for children aged 0 to 12 months. The Thai growth reference classified as overweight were approximately 10.26% to 31.12% more than using the WHO child growth standard. There was no difference in classification of height by both standards. Conclusion: There was a difference in classification of nutritional status between the Thai growth reference and the WHO child growth standard. Keywords: Nutritional status, Pediatric growth reference, Assessment tool, Overweight

The Nutritional Status of Pediatric Patients with Single Ventricle Undergoing a Bidirectional Glenn Procedure.

Single ventricle (SV) physiology is associated with growth retardation in children. The nutritional status of pediatric patients with SV undergoing a bidirectional Glenn (BDG) procedure vitally affects the feasibility of the next operation stages. To explore the nutritional status and to identify specific anthropometric parameters relevant to short-term surgical outcomes in children with SV after the BDG procedure, this study included 151 patients who underwent the BDG procedure. Anthropometric assessments and Infant and Child Feeding Index (ICFI) scores were used to evaluate nutritional status. There was a significant statistical correlation between ICFI and malnutrition in both the height-for-age Z-score (HAZ) and weight-for-age Z-score (WAZ) groups (P < 0.05). The clinical data, including ventilation time, nosocomial infection presence, pressure injury presence, peritoneal dialysis status, and total intensive care unit days, after BDG surgery were significantly different among the HAZ groups (P < 0.05), while nosocomial infection was different among the WAZ groups (P < 0.05). Children after BDG procedure had a high incidence of malnutrition, in addition to disease factors, the type and frequency of dietary intake were also important factors leading to worse clinical outcomes during hospitalization. Therefore, it is vital to maintain an optimal nutritional status in infants with SV who are undergoing a series of surgical procedures.

Nutritional status at diagnosis among children with cancer referred to a nutritional service in Brazil

IntroductionChildren and adolescents with cancer are particularly vulnerable to malnutrition and require special attention on nutritional assessment. An adequate nutritional status during treatment is essential in reducing morbidity and mortality, being a modifiable risk factor for clinical outcomes. This study aims to determine the nutritional status of pediatric patients with cancer assessed by the nutrition team at diagnosis and evaluate its association with the overall survival. MethodThis is a retrospective cross-sectional study of patients at the time of cancer diagnosis who had nutritional assessments when hospitalized or referred to the nutrition outpatient clinic. Nutritional status was classified by the mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) and body mass index for age z-score (zBMI/A). The Cox regression analysis was used to determine the association between the nutritional status and overall survival, adjusting for gender, tumor group and age. ResultsThe study included 366 patients. The prevalence of undernutrition varied from 8 to 23% and overweight, from 5 to 20%. The MUAC identified more children as undernourished than the zBMI/A in patients with solid and hematological tumors. There was no significant difference in the overall survival by malnutrition classified by the zBMI/A (p = 0.1507) or MUAC (p = 0.8135). When adjusted for gender, tumor group and age, the nutritional status classification by the zBMI/A (hazard ratio [HR], 1.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.88–1.83; p = 0.209) and MUAC (HR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.61–1.44; p = 0.773) did not impact overall survival. ConclusionThe nutritional status at diagnosis did not significantly impact the overall survival, which suggests there may have been a protective effect by successful nutritional intervention during the subsequent care.

Growth and nutritional status of children and adolescents with sickle cell anemia

Background Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is a chronic condition that impacts the nutritional status and growth of patients through various mechanisms.Objectives This case–control study aimed to determine the growth patterns and nutritional status of pediatric patients with SCA and to investigate the effects of selected clinical, hematological, and biochemical parameters on nutritional status.Patients and methods The study included 168 children and adolescents with SCA (in a steady state) and 181 healthy children as a control group. Data (anthropometry, complete blood count, and levels of lactate dehydrogenase, C-reactive protein, zinc, and copper) were evaluated for both groups. The WHO Child Growth Standards were used to assess the nutritional status of participants.Results Underweight, stunting, and wasting were detected in 13.55, 25.25, and 12.5% of patients with SCA compared with 2.6, 2.75, and 2.20% of healthy children and adolescents, respectively (P<0.05). In contrast, 8.33% of patients and 7.18% of individuals in the control group were overweight and obese, respectively. The weight curve at the age of 6–7 years in women and 9–10 years in men was significantly lower among patients with SCA than the control group. While the height curve started to decrease significantly at the age of 8–9 years in male patients and more than or equal to 11 years in female patients compared with the control group. Age of patients and high C-reactive protein levels were independent risk factors for stunting. Meanwhile, number of hospital admissions/year were independent risk factors for wasting.Conclusion A high prevalence of poor growth was observed in children with SCA, and the weight curve started to decrease earlier in women, while the height curve decreased earlier in men. Stunting was the most common nutritional problem and was positively associated with the age of patients.

Effects of early enteral nutrition on gastrointestinal function recovery and nutritional status after gastrointestinal surgery in children

Background: Young children are at a developmental stage, and any change in their body growth/development and nutritional status during this period has a direct impact on the prognosis of a specific disease. Clinically, most of the pediatric patients receiving an abdominal surgery are children with congenital malformations of the digestive system. They often have compromised nutritional status after the surgery due to factors including surgical trauma and stress reaction. Therefore, reasonable nutrition support has become a required intervention. In this prospective study, we investigated the influence of early enteral nutrition (EEN) on gastrointestinal (GI) function recovery and nutritional status after GI surgery in children. Methods: A total of 60 children with GI diseases undergoing surgical treatment in our center from January 2017 to December 2018 were enrolled in this study. They were randomly divided into the control group and the EEN group according to the order of admission. No EEN was applied in the control group; in contrast, the EEN group received EEN via percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy (PEJ) tube and postoperative jejunostomy tube. The recovery of GI function, changes in biochemical indicators within 7 days after surgery, postoperative nutritional status, and complications were compared between these two groups. Results: After the surgery, the time to eating solid food and the time to first flatus/defecation were significantly shorter in the EEN group than in the control group (all P Conclusions: Proper EEN after a GI surgery can increase the survival rate, accelerate the recovery of GI function, and improve the nutritional status in pediatric patients. This intervention can be further applied in clinical settings.