Acute malnutrition; mid upper arm circumference [MUAC] of children

ABSTRACT

To determine the frequency of low mid upper arm circumference [MUAC] of children with acute malnutrition. This study was conducted in the department of paediatrics at Liaquat University Hospital Hyderabad from 01-06-2012 to 30-11-2012. All the children with features of malnutrition, of either gender were recruited and evaluated for their mid upper arm circumference which was measured through plastic measuring tape. During six month study period, total 135 children with acute malnutrition were studied for their mid upper arm circumference [MUAC], of which 95[70%] were males and 40[30%] were females. The mean age +/- SD of overall population was 30.24 +/- 10.57 month while the mean age of male children was 32.88 +/- 11.76 and the female child was 31.62 +/- 10.97 months. Regarding the MUAC, was low in 93[68.9%] children with acute malnutrition. The mean age +/- SD of child with low MUAC was 28.99 +/- 12.52 while the mean +/- age of male and female child with low MUAC was 27.63 +/- 10.73 and 29.85 +/- 11.64 respectively. The mean MUAC in children of acute malnutrition with low MUAC was 8.85 +/- 3.93 while it was 8.66 +/- 3.96 and 8.93 +/- 3.31 in male and female child with low MUAC respectively. The present study suggested that MUAC is appropriate and good tool for identifying severe malnutrition in children