Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30081945›Full record

ArticleParasites & vectors2018

Is chronic malnutrition associated with an increase in malaria incidence? A cohort study in children aged under 5 years in rural Gambia.

Anne L Wilson, John Bradley, Ballah Kandeh, Kolawole Salami, Umberto D'Alessandro, Margaret Pinder, Steven W Lindsay

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Parasites & vectors, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
13citing papers in PubMed
0.9field-weighted citation impact, top 27% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

13 citing papers in PubMed, 21 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Trial
  2. Trial
  3. Malaria Incidence, Growth, and their Relationship among a Cohort of Malawian Children.The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene · 2026
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.

Anne L WilsonDepartment of Biosciences, Durham University, Stockton Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK. anne.wilson@durham.ac.uk.
John BradleyMedical Research Council Tropical Epidemiology Group, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK.
Ballah KandehNational Malaria Control Programme, Banjul, The Gambia.
Kolawole SalamiMedical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia.
Umberto D'AlessandroMedical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia.
Margaret PinderDepartment of Biosciences, Durham University, Stockton Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK.
Steven W LindsayDepartment of Biosciences, Durham University, Stockton Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK.
MRC Unit the Gambia · GMDurham University · GBLondon School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine · GBMedical Research Council · GB

Funding

Medical Research Council GO900220Medical Research Council MC_UP_A900_1119Medical Research Council MR/K012126/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMalnutrition is common in children in sub-Saharan Africa and is thought to increase the risk of infectious diseases, including malaria. The relationship between malnutrition and malaria was examined in a cohort of 6-59 month-old children in rural Gambia, in an area of seasonal malaria transmission. The study used data from a clinical trial in which a cohort of children was established and followed for clinical malaria during the 2011 transmission season. A cross-sectional survey to determine the prevalence of malaria and anaemia, and measure the height and weight of these children was carried out at the beginning and end of the transmission season. Standard anthropometric indices (stunting, wasting and underweight) were calculated using z-scores.

resultsAt the beginning of the transmission season, 31.7% of children were stunted, 10.8% wasted and 24.8% underweight. Stunting was more common in Fula children than other ethnicities and in children from traditionally constructed houses compared to more modern houses. Stunted children and underweight children were significantly more likely to have mild or moderate anaemia. During the transmission season, 13.7% of children had at least one episode of clinical malaria. There was no association between stunting and malaria incidence (odds ratio = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.60-1.05). Malaria was not associated with differences in weight or height gain.

conclusionsChronic malnutrition remains a problem in rural Gambia, particularly among the poor and Fula ethnic group, but it was not associated with an increased risk of malaria.

trial registrationTrial registration: ISRCTN, ISRCTN01738840 , registered: 27/08/2010 (Retrospectively registered).

Indexed as

Rural PopulationChild Nutrition DisordersChild, PreschoolChronic DiseaseCohort StudiesFemaleGambiaGrowth DisordersHumansInfantInfant Nutrition DisordersMalariaMaleRisk FactorsThinnessAnaemiaChildrenMalariaMalnutritionStuntingSub-Saharan AfricaThe Gambia

Identifiers

PMID30081945
PMCPMC6090805
OpenAlexW2885970036

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.