Prevalence and Patterns of Electrolyte Imbalance in Children Diagnosed with Acute Severe Malnutrition at a Nutritional Stabilization Center

Malnutrition accounts for around 35% of all fatalities in Pakistan among children under five, making it the primary cause of childhood mortality in that country. The most severe type of malnutrition, known as severe acute malnutrition (SAM), was frequently linked to electrolyte abnormalities. The purpose of this study was to ascertain how frequently electrolyte imbalance occurred in children with SAM who were admitted to a tertiary care facility. Objective: To Determine the Prevalence and Patterns of Electrolyte Imbalance in Children Diagnosed with Acute Severe Malnutrition at a Nutritional Stabilization Center”. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in Nawabshah at the Department of Pediatrics, Peoples University of Medical and Health Sciences, from May 16 to August 15, 2024. This study comprised 92 patients with severe acute malnutrition, ranging in age from 2 to 60 months. Non purposive sampling technique was used for data collection. Children with secondary causes of wasting were excluded, including those with congenital heart disease, chronic renal or liver illness, TB, cancer, and hemolytic anaemia. Weight-for-height was calculated using measurements of weight, length, and height. When the weight-for-height ratio fell below the -3 standard deviation (SD), children were diagnosed with SAM. The lab received blood samples that were taken for serum electrolytes. The chi-square test was used for stratification, and descriptive statistics were computed. Results: Participants' average ages ranged from 23.63± 12.71 months. A total of 85 (93.4%) of the 92 SAM patients had an electrolyte imbalance. The prevalence of hypokalemia (70.08%), hypocalcemia (56.52%), hyponatremia (32.60%), and hypomagnesemia (28.26%), respectively. Conclusions: Children with SAM experience dyselectrolytemia both with and without problems. In all cases of SAM, serum electrolyte levels may need to be assessed in order to identify hyponatremia and hypokalemia in the absence of symptoms. This will facilitate the inpatient treatment triage process for patients with asymptomatic hyponatremia and hypokalemia.