Is mid-upper arm circumference alone sufficient for deciding admission to a nutritional programme for childhood severe acute malnutrition in Bangladesh?

From:: Department for International Development
Published: 1 January 2013

Country:: Bangladesh
Document Type:: Journal Article
Theme:: Health
Authors:: Zachariah, R., Alders, P., Ali, E., Allaouna, M., Draguez, B., Shams, Z., Manzi, M., Vernaeve, L., Harries, AD., Delchevaklerie, P., Salio, F.

Abstract

Mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) and weight-for-height Z-score (WHZ) identify different populations of children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) with only some degree of overlap. In an urban slum in Bangladesh, the authors conducted a prospective cohort study on children assessed as being severely malnourished by WHZ (&lt:-3) but not by MUAC (>115 mm), to: 1. Assess their nutritional outcomes, and 2. Report on morbidity and mortality.

Citation

Ali, E.; Zachariah, R.; Shams, Z.; Vernaeve, L.; Alders, P.; Salio, F.; Manzi, M.; Allaouna, M.; Draguez, B.; Delchevaklerie, P.; Harries, AD. Is mid-upper arm circumference alone sufficient for deciding admission to a nutritional programme for childhood severe acute malnutrition in Bangladesh? Transactions of The Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (2013) 107 (5) 319-323. [DOI: 10.1093/trstmh/trt018]