title: Efficacy of a therapeutic feeding centre evaluated during hospitalization and a follow-up period, Tahoua, Niger, 1987-1988.
abstract: Between 1 February 1987 and 31 May 1988 an evaluation of a nutritional rehabilitation centre in Tahoua, Niger was conducted. Among the 381 children admitted to the centre, 61 (16%) had kwashiorkor and 347 (91.3%) were aged between 6 and 29 months. Recovery and death rates were 46.2% and 14.4%, respectively. The median duration of stay until recovery was 21 days. Sixty-two per cent of deaths occurred during the 1st week of hospitalization. Three risk factors for death were identified by the study: patients with kwashiorkor with a weight/height (W/H) less than -3 SD, those with marasmus with a W/H less than -5 SD, and those dehydrated with marasmus. Among children included in the follow-up study after leaving the centre, the risk of dying during the follow-up period among children who absconded was 7.1 times higher than the risk observed among children who recovered. Among the children who recovered, no relapse was observed 3-18 months after they left the centre. This investigation indicates the importance of intensive therapeutic feeding centres in areas with a high prevalence of malnutrition.
authors.affiliation: Epicentre, Paris, France.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pécoul
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Soutif
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hounkpevi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ducos
mesh_terms: D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002662:Child Health Services; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006268:Health Facilities; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009548:Niger; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome