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Project
OptiDiag: Biomedical investigations for optimized diagnosis and monitoring of severe acute malnutrition. Elucidating the heterogenous diagnosis of SAM by current anthropometric criteria and moving beyond
Objectives and hypothesis
The general objective of the OptiDiag research project is to generate new evidence on pathophysiological process, nutritional needs and risks associated with different types of anthropometric deficits in children under 5, in order to optimize the diagnosis and treatment of SAM.
Specific objectives are:
• To compare nutritional status, metabolism, pathophysiological process and risks in different types of SAM anthropometric diagnosis, with or without concomitant stunting (growth retardation).
• To analyze the extent to which current SAM treatment is promoting recovery and healthy growth in different categories of children.
• To evaluate the relevance of current discharge criteria used in nutrition programs and their association with metabolic recovery, in different age groups and among those who are stunted.
• To test novel rapid tests of emerging biomarkers predicting long-term outcomes and mortality risk in the field.
The project will in particular investigate the following four hypotheses:
1. In spite of the fact that WHZ and MUAC identify different children, children with low MUAC and children with low WHZ have similar needs of medical-nutritional rehabilitation. Especially, children with WHZ115mm show a level of nutritional deficiency and physiological status that correspond well with the need to enter the program and also display a good response to treatment.
2. Young and stunted children identified as SAM by MUAC are less severe compared with children in other categories of anthropometric deficits.
3. Metabolic recovery is reached in young and stunted children before reaching the MUAC cut-off point for recovery (125mm). This cut-off point should be lowered for these children.
4. The different anthropometric criteria used for SAM diagnosis and nutritional rehabilitation program evaluation are related to different patho-physiological conditions that can be distinguished by nutritional and metabolic biomarkers.
The general objective of the OptiDiag research project is to generate new evidence on pathophysiological process, nutritional needs and risks associated with different types of anthropometric deficits in children under 5, in order to optimize the diagnosis and treatment of SAM.
Specific objectives are:
• To compare nutritional status, metabolism, pathophysiological process and risks in different types of SAM anthropometric diagnosis, with or without concomitant stunting (growth retardation).
• To analyze the extent to which current SAM treatment is promoting recovery and healthy growth in different categories of children.
• To evaluate the relevance of current discharge criteria used in nutrition programs and their association with metabolic recovery, in different age groups and among those who are stunted.
• To test novel rapid tests of emerging biomarkers predicting long-term outcomes and mortality risk in the field.
The project will in particular investigate the following four hypotheses:
1. In spite of the fact that WHZ and MUAC identify different children, children with low MUAC and children with low WHZ have similar needs of medical-nutritional rehabilitation. Especially, children with WHZ115mm show a level of nutritional deficiency and physiological status that correspond well with the need to enter the program and also display a good response to treatment.
2. Young and stunted children identified as SAM by MUAC are less severe compared with children in other categories of anthropometric deficits.
3. Metabolic recovery is reached in young and stunted children before reaching the MUAC cut-off point for recovery (125mm). This cut-off point should be lowered for these children.
4. The different anthropometric criteria used for SAM diagnosis and nutritional rehabilitation program evaluation are related to different patho-physiological conditions that can be distinguished by nutritional and metabolic biomarkers.
Date:14 Oct 2015 → 31 Dec 2018
Keywords:B780-tropical-medicine