Assessment of nutritional status in children aged 6 to 59 months with cancer

Abstract

Introduction: Malnutrition, a frequent complication of cancer progression, is both a medical problem and a social problem. The objective was to determine the epidemiological, clinical and evolutionary aspects of children with malnutrition at the pediatric oncology unit. Methodology: This was a retro-prospective study on patients aged less than 5 years suffering from malnutrition and followed in the POU from January 1 to June 30, 2019. Anthropometric data (weight / height ratio, MUAC ) were assessed at the time of diagnosis. Malnutrition was defined by emaciation with or without edema. Results: The prevalence of malnutrition in pediatric oncology was 34%. The mean age was 30 months with a sex ratio of 1. The majority (94%) of the patients were from low socioeconomic backgrounds. The average consultation time was 10 weeks. Based on the weight for height index, 63% of patients had severe malnutrition and 37% moderate malnutrition. MUAC was below normal in 81% of cases. The most common cancers were retinoblastoma, leukemia and nephroblastoma. The death rate was 44%. Conclusion: Children with cancer are at high risk of malnutrition, hence the importance of determining the different risk factors and developing a nutritional management protocol in their treatment protocols.