Keywords
Acute diarrhea
Malnourishment
How to Cite
Abstract
Background: Malnutrition entails an imbalance between the supply of nutrients and energy and their demand by the body for adequate growth and development. Acute gastroenteritis is defined as a diarrheal disease of rapid onset, with or without nausea, vomiting, fever, or abdominal pain. Electrolyte imbalance is one of the prognostic factors in malnutrition especially with acute gastroenteritis.
Objective: To determine the frequency of serum electrolyte imbalance in children with malnutrition aged 1-36 months of age in children with malnutrition with acute gastroenteritis.
Material & Methods: This was cross sectional study on 100 children with malnutrition presenting with acute diarrhea, at Paediatric Medicine Department of Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan (Patients in OPD and Stabilization centre), from March 2024 to August 2024.
A self-made questionnaire consisting of demographic data (Age, Gender, and Name) with anthropometric assessment (Weight, height, MUAC, Weight/Height or Length Ratio) along with known complications of malnutrition was included in the study.2ml of blood sample was taken. Electrolyte imbalance was recorded and managed as per hospital protocols. All data was computed and analyzed by using SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics like age and anthropometric measures was measured as mean and standard deviation. Frequencies and percentages were recorded for gender, family income, father’s and mother’s education and electrolyte imbalance. Stratification of electrolyte imbalance was done with regards to age groups, gender, place of living, socioeconomic status, family income, father’s and mother’s education, diabetes and type of family. Chi square test was applied and p-value less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.
Results: Electrolyte imbalance was found in 91% children with acute diarrhea in back ground of malnourishment.
Conclusion: Electrolyte imbalance in children with acute diarrhea in back ground of malnourishment was very common finding was almost already available statistics. On stratification analysis, the frequency of Electrolyte imbalance was not statistically different in studied sub-groups