DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2023.v11i07.024

Pages: 1346-1352

Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) is characterized by a weight/height (W/T) ratio below -3Zscore and/or nutritional edema and/or arm circumference (MUAC) below 115 mm. This is a priority public health problem in Mali, because the nutritional situation remains very worrying for years. During our study period, 159 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM) with medical complications were hospitalized in the pediatric department. Materials and method: This is a prospective and descriptive study of children aged 0 to 59 months hospitalized for severe acute malnutrition with medical complications at the pediatrics department of the commune I from June 1, 2018 to May 31, 2019. All children from 0 to 59 months hospitalized in pediatrics during the study period and having parameters in favor of SAM were included. Results: We have a hospital prevalence of 14.7%. The average age of the children was 18 months with extremes of 3 to 59 months. Children aged 12-24 months were in the majority 55% and children under 12 months accounted for 40%. Most of the children were male with a sex ratio of 1.17. The majority of children (61.6%) came from the health district of the commune I. The frequency of admissions was higher in July and August (15.7% and 19.5%). The reasons for consultation were: anorexia (lack of appetite) 32.7%, diarrhea 26.4%, cough 9.4%, edema 8.2%, fever 7.6%, vomiting 7.6%, weight loss 5%. Marasmus was the most noticed form of malnutrition with 83.6%. The average length of hospitalization was 8 days with extremes of 3 to 17 days. Lethality reached 6.9%. The state of shock was the most marked factor of death 54.5%, cases of false route (food inhalation) 27.3% and respiratory distress 18.2%.