Mukuku et al reported a model for predicting severe acute malnutrition in a child. This can help to identify a child who may benefit from a nutritional intervention. The authors are from InstitutSuperieur des Techniques Medicales, University of Lubumbashi and University of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Patient selection: infant or young child. from 6 to 59 months (< 5 years old)
Outcome: severe acute malnutrition (SAM)
Parameters:
(1) birth weight
(2) history of recurrent or chronic diarrhea
(3) number of daily meals
(4) age when breastfeeding stops
(5) complementary diet started when < 6 months old
(6) mother's age in years
(7) mother's parity
(8) family history of malnutrition
(8) number of children under 5 years of age in the family
Parameter
Finding
Points
birth weight
normal or high
0
low
1
diarrhea
no
0
yes
2
daily meals
< 3
2
>= 3
0
age when breastfeeding stops
< 6 months
2
>= 6 months
0
age complementary diet started
< 6 months
1
>= 6 months
0
mother's age
< 25 years
3
>= 25 years
0
mother's parity
< 5
2
>= 5
0
family history of malnutrition
no
0
yes
3
number of children under 5 years
<= 2
0
> 2
2
total score =
= SUM(points for all of the parameters)
Interpretation:
• minimum score: 0
• maximum score: 18
Score
Percent with SAM
0 or 1
< 1%
2
1.5%
3
4%
4
10%
5
22%
6
43%
7
66%
8
84%
9
93%
10
97%
>= 11
>= 99%
Performance:
• The area under the ROC curve is 0.97.
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