Prevalence and outcome of stress hyperglycaemia among severely malnourished children admitted to Mulago referral and teaching hospital in Kampala, Uganda.

BACKGROUND: Stress hyperglycaemia is a transient increase in blood glucose level during stressful events and is common in critically ill children. Several studies have demonstrated increased risk of mortality in these children. There is paucity of information on this subject in sub Saharan Africa.The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence, outcome and factors associated with stress hyperglycaemia among children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) admitted to the Mwanamugimu nutrition unit of Mulago hospital in Uganda. METHODS: This study was conducted from August 2015 to March 2016 at the Mwanamugimu nutrition unit of Mulago hospital among severely malnourished children aged 1 to 60 months. Random blood sugar levels were measured. Stress hyperglycaemia was considered as a random blood sugar > 150 mg/dl. The final outcome was ascertained at death or discharge. Statistical analysis was done using the Chi square test and logistic regression. RESULTS: Two hundred and thirty-five children were enrolled of whom 50% were girls. The median age was 5.1 months (range 1-60 months). Stress hyperglycaemia was present in 16.6% of the 235 participants. Several factors were significantly associated with stress hyperglycaemia at bivariate analysis; but on logistic regression, only presence of oral sores was associated with stress hyperglycaemia: (Odds ratio 2.61; 95% CI 1.02-6.65).Mortality was higher among children with stress hyperglycaemia (56.4%) compared to (12.8%) in the non-hyperglycaemic group: OR 8.75; 95% CI 4.09-18.70). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of stress hyperglycaemia was 16.6% and was associated with high mortality. It is important to monitor blood glucose levels of severely malnourished children. Hitherto, the main concern among severely malnourished children has been hypoglycaemia. Innovative ways of preventing and managing stress hyperglycaemia among these children are urgently needed.

Use of pre-hospital medication in children presenting with malaria to the emergency unit of Mulago Hospital, Uganda: A descriptive study.

BACKGROUND: Initiation of specific antimalarial treatment within 24 hrs of fever onset at home and before presentation to the hospital is one of the strategies to reduce mortality from malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. In order to determine whether this strategy is being implemented we describe the use and factors associated with the use of pre-hospital medications among children admitted with malaria in one of the tertiary hospitals in Uganda. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Use of pre-hospital medications was assessed in 205 children aged 6-59 months and diagnosed with malaria at admission in Mulago hospital. Data were obtained on the type, source, and dose adequacy of medicines used before presentation to the hospital as well as the socio-demographical characteristics of the children. The proportion of children using pre-hospital medication was determined and logistic regression analysis used to determine factors associated with use of pre-hospital medication. RESULTS: Overall, 147/205 (72%) of the children were given some medication for their illness before presentation to the hospital. The common pre-hospital medicines used were paracetamol (107/147, 72.8 %) and antimalarial medicines (91/147, 61.9 %). Antibiotics were used in only 12 (8.2 %) of the cases. The majority (62/91, 68%) of the cases got medicines from a health facility but only 41/91 (45%) received an adequate dose. Having fever for more than three days was significantly associated with use of pre-hospital medicines (OR = 2.2; 95% CI 1.12-4.35; p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The pre-hospital use of medicines is common amongst children presenting with malaria to this tertiary Ugandan hospital. The practice is, however, associated with use of inadequate doses of antimalarials and delay in presentation to the hospital. More effort is therefore needed to educate communities on the importance of proper home management of malaria.

Effects of HIV infection on the metabolic and hormonal status of children with severe acute malnutrition.

BACKGROUND: HIV infection occurs in 30% of children with severe acute malnutrition in sub-Saharan Africa. Effects of HIV on the pathophysiology and recovery from malnutrition are poorly understood. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 75 severely malnourished Ugandan children. HIV status/CD4 counts were assessed at baseline; auxologic data and blood samples were obtained at admission and after 14 days of inpatient treatment. We utilized metabolomic profiling to characterize effects of HIV infection on metabolic status and subsequent responses to nutritional therapy. FINDINGS: At admission, patients (mean age 16.3 mo) had growth failure (mean W/H z-score -4.27 in non-edematous patients) that improved with formula feeding (mean increase 1.00). 24% (18/75) were HIV-infected. Nine children died within the first 14 days of hospitalization; mortality was higher for HIV-infected patients (33% v. 5%, OR = 8.83). HIV-infected and HIV-negative children presented with elevated NEFA, ketones, and even-numbered acylcarnitines and reductions in albumin and amino acids. Leptin, adiponectin, insulin, and IGF-1 levels were low while growth hormone, cortisol, and ghrelin levels were high. At baseline, HIV-infected patients had higher triglycerides, ketones, and even-chain acylcarnitines and lower leptin and adiponectin levels than HIV-negative patients. Leptin levels rose in all patients following nutritional intervention, but adiponectin levels remained depressed in HIV-infected children. Baseline hypoleptinemia and hypoadiponectinemia were associated with increased mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest a critical interplay between HIV infection and adipose tissue storage and function in the adaptation to malnutrition. Hypoleptinemia and hypoadiponectinemia may contribute to high mortality rates among malnourished, HIV-infected children.

Severe acute malnutrition in childhood: hormonal and metabolic status at presentation, response to treatment, and predictors of mortality.

OBJECTIVE: Malnutrition is a major cause of childhood morbidity and mortality. To identify and target those at highest risk, there is a critical need to characterize biomarkers that predict complications prior to and during treatment. METHODS: We used targeted and nontargeted metabolomic analysis to characterize changes in a broad array of hormones, cytokines, growth factors, and metabolites during treatment of severe childhood malnutrition. Children aged 6 months to 5 years were studied at presentation to Mulago Hospital and during inpatient therapy with milk-based formulas and outpatient supplementation with ready-to-use food. We assessed the relationship between baseline hormone and metabolite levels and subsequent mortality. RESULTS: Seventy-seven patients were enrolled in the study; a subset was followed up from inpatient treatment to the outpatient clinic. Inpatient and outpatient therapies increased weight/height z scores and induced striking changes in the levels of fatty acids, amino acids, acylcarnitines, inflammatory cytokines, and various hormones including leptin, insulin, GH, ghrelin, cortisol, IGF-I, glucagon-like peptide-1, and peptide YY. A total of 12.2% of the patients died during hospitalization; the major biochemical factor predicting mortality was a low level of leptin (P = .0002), a marker of adipose tissue reserve and a critical modulator of immune function. CONCLUSIONS: We have used metabolomic analysis to provide a comprehensive hormonal and metabolic profile of severely malnourished children at presentation and during nutritional rehabilitation. Our findings suggest that fatty acid metabolism plays a central role in the adaptation to acute malnutrition and that low levels of the adipose tissue hormone leptin associate with, and may predict, mortality prior to and during treatment.