title: Role of amylase-treated, energy-dense liquid diet in the nutritional management of acute shigellosis in children: a controlled clinical trial.
abstract: To evaluate if an energy-dense porridge liquefied by amylase-rich flour (ARF) from germinated wheat increased the calorie intake in children with acute shigellosis, we studied 66 children, aged 6-35 months, in a randomized, controlled clinical trial. Children were randomized to receive either an energy-dense porridge liquefied with ARF (group 1), a thick unaltered porridge (group 2) or a porridge diluted with water (group 3) to a similar viscosity as that in group 1. Mean +/- SD calorie intakes (kJ/kg/day) from the porridges were 280 +/- 113, 167 +/- 100 and 151 +/- 80 in groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively (p = 0.006, ANOVA). Total energy intakes (mean +/- SD) from the study diet and other food sources were 469 +/- 151, 377 +/- 121 and 351 +/- 100 kJ/kg/day, respectively (p = 0.006, ANOVA). Intake of breast milk was similar in all groups. Using multiple regression analysis the effect of ARF-treated energy-dense porridge in increasing the calorie intake persisted after adjusting for a number of confounders, such as age of the child, isolation of Shigella dysenteriae type 1 and fever. The results of this study suggest that ARF-treated porridge increases energy intake in infants and young children during acute shigellosis. This feeding approach may be useful in preventing malnutrition following dysentery due to shigellosis.
mesh_terms: D000681:Amylases / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001459:Bangladesh; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004405:Dysentery, Bacillary / Q000628:therapy*; D002149:Energy Intake; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D005260:Female; D005526:Food, Formulated; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009753:Nutritive Value; D012762:Shigella dysenteriae
chemical_list: D000681:Amylases