Antibiotics as part of the management of severe acute malnutrition.
BACKGROUND
Severe acute malnutrition contributes to 1 million deaths among children annually. Adding routine antibiotic agents to nutritional therapy may increase recovery rates and decrease mortality among children with severe acute malnutrition treated in the community.


METHODS
In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we randomly assigned Malawian children, 6 to 59 months of age, with severe acute malnutrition to receive amoxicillin, cefdinir, or placebo for 7 days in addition to ready-to-use therapeutic food for the outpatient treatment of uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition. The primary outcomes were the rate of nutritional recovery and the mortality rate.


RESULTS
A total of 2767 children with severe acute malnutrition were enrolled. In the amoxicillin, cefdinir, and placebo groups, 88.7%, 90.9%, and 85.1% of the children recovered, respectively (relative risk of treatment failure with placebo vs. amoxicillin, 1.32; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04 to 1.68; relative risk with placebo vs. cefdinir, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.27 to 2.11). The mortality rates for the three groups were 4.8%, 4.1%, and 7.4%, respectively (relative risk of death with placebo vs. amoxicillin, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.07 to 2.24; relative risk with placebo vs. cefdinir, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.22 to 2.64). Among children who recovered, the rate of weight gain was increased among those who received antibiotics. No interaction between type of severe acute malnutrition and intervention group was observed for either the rate of nutritional recovery or the mortality rate.


CONCLUSIONS
The addition of antibiotics to therapeutic regimens for uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition was associated with a significant improvement in recovery and mortality rates. (Funded by the Hickey Family Foundation and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01000298.).
Department of Pediatrics, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
Indi
I
Trehan
Hayley S
HS
Goldbach
Lacey N
LN
LaGrone
Guthrie J
GJ
Meuli
Richard J
RJ
Wang
Kenneth M
KM
Maleta
Mark J
MJ
Manary
D000208:Acute Disease; D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077525:Cefdinir; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D012306:Risk; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015430:Weight Gain
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002511:Cephalosporins; D000658:Amoxicillin; D000077525:Cefdinir