| Popis: |
Protein calorie malnutrition (PCM) is one of the most serious public health problems in the developing world, including Sudan. This condition was investigated through studies which examined three main areas: prevalence and seasonal variation, influencing demographic factors and impact on brain function with use of electroencephalogram (EEG) assessment before and after clinical and nutritional interventions. All 466 children admitted to the Khartoum Teaching Hospital and Ibn Oaf Children Emergency Hospital during July to September 2009 (the wet season) and during February to April 2010 (the dry season) were eligible for the study on the prevalence, seasonal variation and demographic factors influencing which influence the incidence of PCM. Questionnaires were employed to collect pertinent demographic, nutritional and anthropometric data. The impact of PCM on brain function were examined through a case-control study of 48 children admitted to the Ibn oaf Children Hospital in Khartoum between July 2011 to July 2012 (16 underweight, 16 with kwashiorkor, and 16 with marasmus), The data obtained were compared with those of 12 healthy and well-nourished children. EEGs, clinical and neuropsychological assessment were performed on admission and at two time points after discharge (week 4 and 12). The overall prevalence of PCM was 1.15%, and the distribution of marasmus, kwashiorkor and marasmic kwashiorkor 67.0, 23.0 and 10.0% respectively. Analysis of the 24-hour dietary recall revealed that the protein (p= 0.001), fat (p= 0.020), carbohydrates (p= 0.005) and energy (p=0.0028) consumption were statistically significantly lower than the recommended daily allowances. The coefficient of interaction between seasons and cofactors indicated that the wet season influenced significantly (p |
