Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38956431›Full record

Observational studyMaternal & child nutrition2024

Effectiveness of acute malnutrition treatment with a simplified, combined protocol in Central African Republic: An observational cohort study.

Grace Heymsfield, Zachary Tausanovitch, Loubah Gondjé Christian, M'bary Siolo Mada Bebelou, Benedict Tabiojong Mbeng, Anne Marie Dembele, Annie Fossi, Théophile Bansimba, Issa Niamanto Coulibaly, Victor Nikièma and 1 more

Registry-linked trialAbstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in Maternal & child nutrition, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07592260 (OptiMAx), which is not on this map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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.

NCT07592260 narecruitingnot on this mapstarted 2025, after this paper: background citation

OptiMAx: Incentivizing EPI Vaccination Via Distribution of SQ-LNS Nutritional Supplementation to Children From Age 6-11 Months Until 18 Months of Age in Rural Chad and Niger, With a Cost Effectiveness Analysis Protocol for a Research Study Nested in the OptiMA Research Study in Ngouri Health District, Lake Region, Chad and Mirriah Health District, Zinder Region, Niger

TypeinterventionalSponsorAlliance for International Medical ActionRan2025 to 2026Enrolled20,000ConditionsMalnutrition Severe, VaccinationArmssmall quantity lipid-based supplement (SQ-LNS)
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Observational
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

11 authors.

Grace HeymsfieldInternational Rescue Committee, New York, New York, USA.ORCID 0009-0004-2614-2215
Zachary TausanovitchInternational Rescue Committee, New York, New York, USA.
Loubah Gondjé ChristianInternational Rescue Committee, Bangui, Central African Republic.
M'bary Siolo Mada BebelouMinistry of Health and Population, Bangui, Central African Republic.
Benedict Tabiojong MbengWorld Food Programme, Bangui, Central African Republic.
Anne Marie DembeleUnited Nations Children's Fund, Bangui, Central African Republic.
Annie FossiCommunity Humanitarian Emergency Board International, Bangui, Central African Republic.
Théophile BansimbaUnited Nations Children's Fund, Bangui, Central African Republic.
Issa Niamanto CoulibalyInternational Rescue Committee, Bamako, Mali.
Victor NikièmaWorld Food Programme, Dakar, Senegal.
Suvi T KangasInternational Rescue Committee, New York, New York, USA.

Funding

International Rescue Committee U1130United Nations Children's Fund CAR/PCA2023112/SPD2023309World Food Programme FLA 2021-2022
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

A simplified, combined protocol admitting children with a mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC) of <125 mm or oedema to malnutrition treatment with ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) uses two sachets of RUTF per day of those with MUAC < 115 mm and/or oedema and one sachet of RUTF per day for those with MUAC 115-<125 mm. This treatment previously demonstrated noninferior programmatic outcomes compared with standard treatment and high recovery in a routine setting. We aimed to observe the protocol's effectiveness in a routine setting at scale, in two health districts of the Central African Republic through an observational cohort study. The pilot enrolled children for 1 year in consortium by the Ministry of Health and nongovernmental partners. A total of 7909 children were admitted to the simplified, combined treatment. Treatment resulted in an 81.2% overall recovery, with a mean length of stay (LOS) of 38.7 days and a mean RUTF consumption of 43.4 sachets per child treated. Among children admitted with MUAC < 115 mm or oedema, 67.9% recovered with a mean LOS of 48.1 days and consumed an average of 70.9 RUTF sachets. Programme performance differed between the two districts, with an overall defaulting rate of 31.1% in the Kouango-Grimari health district, compared to 8.2% in Kemo. Response to treatment by children admitted with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) by MUAC and SAM by oedema was similar. The simplified, combined protocol resulted in a satisfactory overall recovery and low RUTF consumption per child treated, with further need to understand defaulting in the context.

Indexed as

EdemaArmCentral African RepublicChild, PreschoolCohort StudiesFast FoodsFemaleHumansInfantLength of StayMaleMalnutritionPilot ProjectsSevere Acute MalnutritionTreatment Outcomeacute malnutritionCentral African Republiccommunity management of acute malnutrition (CMAM)mid‐upper arm circumference (MUAC)operational pilotready to use therapeutic food (RUTF)simplified approaches

Identifiers

PMID38956431
PMCPMC11574675

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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.