Mortality in protein calorie malnutrition
Hay, R.W.; Calvert, A.H.
East African Medical Journal 49(11): 868-873
1972
ISSN/ISBN: 0012-835X PMID: 4199249 Document Number: 44452
From records of malnourished children admitted to hospital in Uganda during 16 years there was no sgnificant difference in mortality rate between boys and girls. Presence of oedema with malnutrition more than doubled the chances of death. Factors often present with malnutrition but which had no effect on mortality rate were hair changes, diarrhoea, measles and malaria. Anaemia was often associated with a high hookworm count which was also associated with low serum proteins. Congestive cardiac failure seemed to be the most potent source of mortality. The most significantly occurring clinical signs were in the skin and the skin changes seemed to be the best clinical indicator of severity of the disease.