Abstract:

Background: Malnutrition is a state of body catabolism; Malnutrition is a major globally public health problem account for more than 224 million children suffer from it annually. Severe malnutrition may lead to electrolytes derangement that will increasing high risk of mortality and morbidity, by damaging visceral organs (liver, lungs and kidneys). Interfering body mechanism’s by affecting normal body metabolism, due to limited data found at BMC, leading to morbidity and mortality in pediatric malnutrition unit this study will be useful for diagnosis, management of these children to reduce morbidity, mortality and associated complications in BMC.

Methodology: A study was conducted at BMC, pediatric malnutrition ward were total number of malnourished children were obtained. The study conducted for two months (May – July) children were assessed by taking history and performing physical examination. The participants were measured different parameter like the one weight and height accordingly to the WHO growth charts, and venipuncture were done aseptically from the median cubital vein using sterile vacutainer. The results was recorded in the logbook, transferred in excel sheet for coding and cleaning was analyzed using STATA version 13 software

Results: In this study, 249 participants were enrolled, 69.48 (173/249) were male and 30.5% (76/249) were female. Majority of the participants were in the (12-35 months) median age group 65.46% (163/249) had diarrhoea, 77.51% (193/249) had severe wasting while 30.92% (77/249) had bilateral pitting pedal oedema. Statistical analysis showed that patients who presented with diarrhoea were more likely to have hypokalemia as a potassium derangement; 62.79% of patients with hypokalemia had diarrhoea as compared to 37.21% of patients without diarrhoea (P=0.033<0.05).

Conclusion: Most of the children with malnutrition and electrolyte derangements also had diarrhoea. Therefore determination of the electrolyte profile of all patients with malnutrition immediately on admission and proceeding days after admission is vital as it helps the clinician to decide on the most appropriate fluids to give to help reduce on the morbidity and mortality associated with life threatening electrolyte derangements.