Descriptive study of hypothermia in severely malnourished children

(Place and time of research: Nangarhar Teaching Hospital, 1402)

Abstract

Background: Malnutrition is a severe global health issue, mostly for children under the age of five. It arises due to an imbalance between the bodies’ nutritional and energy requirements and their availability. Hypothermia is one of the severe complications of malnutrition, which, if not promptly identified, can lead to mortality and disability among children.                                                                 Methods: This study is a descriptive cross-sectional research conducted at the pediatric department of Nangarhar University Teaching Hospital to determine the incidence of hypothermia among children hospitalized with severe malnutrition. The diagnosis of malnutrition was based on Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC), Weight-for-Height Z Score (WFH Z Score), and Bilateral Pitting Edema, while body temperature was recorded using a thermometer. The data were analyzed using SPSS software.  

 Results: A total of 103 children participated in the study, of whom 53.4% were boys and 46.6% were girls. Among them, 67% were diagnosed with marasmus, 20.4% with kwashiorkor, and 12.6% with marasmic-kwashiorkor. The incidence of hypothermia was observed in 5.8% of the children, with the highest prevalence among those suffering from marasmus. The mean body weight of the patients was 5.87 kg, and the mean MUAC measurement was 9.9 cm.

               Conclusion: The findings indicate that malnutrition was somewhat more prevalent among boys than girls, and the common of the affected children were from Nangarhar province.