Factors Influencing Recovery and Mortality in Children with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM): Insights from a Therapeutic Feeding Program

Background: Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) is a major health issue in low-income countries, leading to high rates of child morbidity and mortality. Effective treatments, such as ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTF) like Plumpy Nut, are essential for improving recovery rates. This study examines the short-term outcomes of nutritional therapy for children with SAM at El-Obeid Specialized Pediatric Hospital in Sudan. Objective: The main aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term results of nutritional therapy for children with severe acute malnutrition who were admitted to the Therapeutic Feeding Unit at El-Obeid Special Pediatric Hospital. Method: This study was a descriptive cross-sectional analysis conducted from November 2022 to December 2022. A total of 100 children diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition were included. Data were collected using a checklist and analyzed with Google Forms for data management and statistical analysis. Results: 100 children under five with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) were admitted to the therapeutic feeding program at El-Obeid Specialized Pediatric Hospital from November to December 2022. Of these, 63% were male, 61.6% came from rural areas, and 85.7% were aged between 7 and 24 months. Most fathers were farmers (43.4%), and many mothers were illiterate (63.9%) and housewives (48%). Before admission, 60.6% of the children had poor food quality. However, this significantly improved afterward, with 99% receiving high-quality food. The observed co-morbidities included diarrhea (57.6%), vomiting (49.5%), pneumonia (21%), and anemia (14.4%). Treatment followed national guidelines, with 75% of the children receiving Ceftriaxone, 73% receiving Zinc, and 44% receiving ReSoMal. The outcomes showed that 85% of the children were cured, 6% died, and 5% were lost to follow-up. Conclusion: This study highlights the significant impact of early intervention, nutritional therapy, and the management of co-morbidities in improving outcomes for children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM). The findings underscore the importance of addressing socioeconomic factors, such as low maternal education and poor food quality, as key contributors to malnutrition. While the therapeutic feeding program at El-Obeid Specialized Pediatric Hospital showed positive results, including an 85% cure rate, there is still room for improvement in reducing mortality rates, which exceeded the recommended threshold.