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Muhammad A, Shafiq Y, Nisar MI, Baloch B, Pasha A, Yazdani NS, Rizvi A, Muhammad S, Jehan F. Effect of maternal postnatal balanced energy protein supplementation and infant azithromycin on infant growth outcomes: an open-label randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr 2024; 120:550-559. [PMID: 38925354 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2024.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal undernutrition is a direct risk factor for infant growth faltering. OBJECTIVES We evaluated the effect of postnatal balanced energy protein (BEP) supplementation in lactating women and azithromycin (AZ) in infants on infant growth outcomes. METHODS A randomized controlled superiority trial of lactating mother-newborn dyads was conducted in Karachi, Pakistan. Mothers intending to breastfeed their newborns with mid-upper arm circumference of <23 cm and live infants between 0 and 6 d of life were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 arms in a 1:1:1 ratio. Lactating mothers in the control arm received standard-of-care counseling on exclusive breastfeeding, nutrition, infant immunization, and health promotion plus iron-folate supplementation until the infant was 6 mo old. In intervention arm 1, mothers additionally received two 75-g sachets of BEP per day. In intervention arm 2, along with the standard-of-care and BEP to the mother, the infant also received 1 dose of azithromycin (20 mg/kg) at the age of 42 d . The primary outcome was infant length velocity at 6 mo. The total sample size was 957 (319 in each arm). RESULTS From 1 August, 2018 to 19 May, 2020, 319 lactating mother-newborn dyads were randomly assigned in each arm, and the last follow-up was completed on 20 November, 2020. The mean difference in length velocity (cm/mo) between BEP alone and control was 0.01 (95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.03, 0.06), BEP plus AZ and control was 0.08 (95% CI: 0.03, 0.13), and between BEP + AZ and BEP alone was 0.06 (95% CI: 0.01, 0.11). There were 1.46% (14/957) infant deaths in the trial, and 17.9% (171/957) nonfatal events (injectable treatment and/or hospitalizations) were recorded. CONCLUSIONS Postnatal maternal BEP supplementation and infant AZ administration could modestly improve infant growth outcomes at 6 mo, suggesting potential benefits in simultaneously addressing maternal and infant undernutrition. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03564652.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ameer Muhammad
- Vaccines and Other Initiatives to Advance Lives (VITAL) Pakistan Trust, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Yasir Shafiq
- Center of Excellence for Trauma and Emergencies and Community Health Sciences, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan; Global Advancement of Infants and Mothers (AIM), Department of Pediatric Newborn Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States; Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States; Center for Research and Training in Disaster Medicine, Humanitarian Aid and Global Health (CRIMEDIM), Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro," Vercelli, Italy
| | - Muhammad Imran Nisar
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health Medical College, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Benazir Baloch
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health Medical College, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Aneela Pasha
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health Medical College, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Nida Salman Yazdani
- Vaccines and Other Initiatives to Advance Lives (VITAL) Pakistan Trust, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Arjumand Rizvi
- Centre of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Sajid Muhammad
- Centre of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Fyezah Jehan
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health Medical College, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
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Ayaz A, Nisar I, Muhammad A, Ahmed K, Chand P, Jehan F. Structural Changes in the Brain on Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Malnourished Children: A Scoping Review of the Literature. Pediatr Neurol 2023; 149:151-158. [PMID: 37890309 DOI: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2023.08.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This review was conducted to summarize the current evidence on the structural findings seen in brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in malnourished children and the effect of optimized nutritional supplementation on brain development as studied through MRI. METHODS A systematic search was carried out in PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science (Clarivate Analytics), WHO ICTRP Clinical Trials in Children, and ClinicalTrials.gov using a predefined search criterion for relevant literature from inception to January 2022. The primary outcome of the study was structural changes observed in the brain on MRI. RESULTS The most common abnormal findings on MRI in malnourished infants were cerebral atrophy and dilated ventricles. Furthermore, a higher proportion of breast milk, calorie, and lipid intake in the diet was significantly associated with increased brain volumes; this also increased the likelihood of normal MRI scores at term. When followed till adolescence, it was observed that these infants had increased neonatal weight gain and a higher intelligence quotient when compared with the group. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, most children with moderate/severe malnutrition had abnormal MRI findings, mostly cerebral atrophy with or without ventricular dilatation. Since none of the studies measured the degree of atrophy or ventricular dilatation, it was not possible to assess the effect of the severity of malnutrition on brain atrophy. A universal measurement or scoring system for assessing the degree of brain atrophy is needed to help correlate the severity of malnutrition with the degree of brain atrophy and monitor the effects of nutritional rehabilitation over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Ayaz
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Imran Nisar
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | | | - Kheezran Ahmed
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Prem Chand
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Fyezah Jehan
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
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Imdad A, Chen FF, François M, Sana M, Tanner-Smith E, Smith A, Tsistinas O, Das JK, Bhutta ZA. Routine antibiotics for infants less than 6 months of age with growth failure/faltering: a systematic review. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e071393. [PMID: 37164453 PMCID: PMC10174012 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-071393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This systematic review commissioned by WHO aimed to synthesise evidence from current literature on the effects of systematically given, routine use of antibiotics for infants under 6 months of age with growth failure/faltering. SETTINGS Low-income and middle-income countries. PARTICIPANTS The study population was infants less than 6 months of age with growth failure/faltering. INTERVENTION The intervention group was infants who received no antibiotics or antibiotics other than those recommended in 2013 guidelines by WHO to treat childhood severe acute malnutrition. The comparison group was infants who received antibiotics according to the aforementioned guidelines. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOMES The primary outcome was all-cause mortality, and secondary outcomes: clinical deterioration, antimicrobial resistance, recovery from comorbidity, adverse events, markers of intestinal inflammation, markers of systemic inflammation, hospital-acquired infections and non-response. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach was considered to report the overall evidence quality for an outcome. RESULTS We screened 5137 titles and abstracts and reviewed the full text of 157 studies. None of the studies from the literature search qualified to answer the question for this systematic review. CONCLUSIONS There is a paucity of evidence on the routine use of antibiotics for the treatment of malnutrition in infants less than 6 months of age. Future studies with adequate sample sizes are needed to assess the potential risks and benefits of antibiotics in malnourished infants under 6 months of age. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER CRD42021277073.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aamer Imdad
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Fanny F Chen
- Norton College of Medicine, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Melissa François
- Norton College of Medicine, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Momal Sana
- Monash Health, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Abigail Smith
- Health Science Library, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Olivia Tsistinas
- Health Science Library, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Jai K Das
- Division of Women and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta
- Division of Women and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
- Global Child Health, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Gernand AD, Gallagher K, Bhandari N, Kolsteren P, Lee AC, Shafiq Y, Taneja S, Tielsch JM, Abate FW, Baye E, Berhane Y, Chowdhury R, Dailey-Chwalibóg T, de Kok B, Dhabhai N, Jehan F, Kang Y, Katz J, Khatry S, Lachat C, Mazumder S, Muhammad A, Nisar MI, Sharma S, Martin LA, Upadhyay RP, Christian P. Harmonization of maternal balanced energy-protein supplementation studies for individual participant data (IPD) meta-analyses - finding and creating similarities in variables and data collection. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2023; 23:107. [PMID: 36774497 PMCID: PMC9919738 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-023-05366-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Public health and clinical recommendations are established from systematic reviews and retrospective meta-analyses combining effect sizes, traditionally, from aggregate data and more recently, using individual participant data (IPD) of published studies. However, trials often have outcomes and other meta-data that are not defined and collected in a standardized way, making meta-analysis problematic. IPD meta-analysis can only partially fix the limitations of traditional, retrospective, aggregate meta-analysis; prospective meta-analysis further reduces the problems. METHODS We developed an initiative including seven clinical intervention studies of balanced energy-protein (BEP) supplementation during pregnancy and/or lactation that are being conducted (or recently concluded) in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, India, Nepal, and Pakistan to test the effect of BEP on infant and maternal outcomes. These studies were commissioned after an expert consultation that designed recommendations for a BEP product for use among pregnant and lactating women in low- and middle-income countries. The initiative goal is to harmonize variables across studies to facilitate IPD meta-analyses on closely aligned data, commonly called prospective meta-analysis. Our objective here is to describe the process of harmonizing variable definitions and prioritizing research questions. A two-day workshop of investigators, content experts, and advisors was held in February 2020 and harmonization activities continued thereafter. Efforts included a range of activities from examining protocols and data collection plans to discussing best practices within field constraints. Prior to harmonization, there were many similar outcomes and variables across studies, such as newborn anthropometry, gestational age, and stillbirth, however, definitions and protocols differed. As well, some measurements were being conducted in several but not all studies, such as food insecurity. Through the harmonization process, we came to consensus on important shared variables, particularly outcomes, added new measurements, and improved protocols across studies. DISCUSSION We have fostered extensive communication between investigators from different studies, and importantly, created a large set of harmonized variable definitions within a prospective meta-analysis framework. We expect this initiative will improve reporting within each study in addition to providing opportunities for a series of IPD meta-analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison D Gernand
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, 110 Chandlee Lab, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
| | - Kelly Gallagher
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, 110 Chandlee Lab, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Nita Bhandari
- Centre for Health Research and Development Society for Applied Studies, New Delhi, India
| | - Patrick Kolsteren
- Department of Food Technology, Safety and Health, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Anne Cc Lee
- Department of Pediatric Newborn Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Sunita Taneja
- Centre for Health Research and Development Society for Applied Studies, New Delhi, India
| | - James M Tielsch
- Department of Global Health, The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, D.C, USA
| | - Firehiwot Workneh Abate
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Addis Continental Institute of Public Health, Addis Adaba, Ethiopia
| | - Estifanos Baye
- Department of Pediatric Newborn Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yemane Berhane
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Addis Continental Institute of Public Health, Addis Adaba, Ethiopia
| | - Ranadip Chowdhury
- Centre for Health Research and Development Society for Applied Studies, New Delhi, India
| | - Trenton Dailey-Chwalibóg
- Department of Food Technology, Safety and Health, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Brenda de Kok
- Department of Food Technology, Safety and Health, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Neeta Dhabhai
- Centre for Health Research and Development Society for Applied Studies, New Delhi, India
| | - Fyezah Jehan
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Yunhee Kang
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joanne Katz
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Subarna Khatry
- Nepal Nutrition Intervention Project-Sarlahi, Lalitpur, Nepal
| | - Carl Lachat
- Department of Food Technology, Safety and Health, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sarmila Mazumder
- Centre for Health Research and Development Society for Applied Studies, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Muhammad Imran Nisar
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Sitanshi Sharma
- Centre for Health Research and Development Society for Applied Studies, New Delhi, India
| | - Leigh A Martin
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, 110 Chandlee Lab, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Ravi Prakash Upadhyay
- Centre for Health Research and Development Society for Applied Studies, New Delhi, India
| | - Parul Christian
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Nutritional support and prophylaxis of azithromycin for pregnant women to improve birth outcomes in peri-urban slums of Karachi, Pakistan-a protocol of multi-arm assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial (Mumta PW trial). Trials 2022; 23:2. [PMID: 34980232 PMCID: PMC8721479 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-021-05960-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal undernutrition is critical in the etiology of poor perinatal outcomes and accounts for 20% of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) births. High levels of food insecurity, antenatal undernourishment, and childhood undernutrition necessitate the supplementation of fortified balanced energy protein (BEP) during pregnancy in low-income settings especially with scarce literature available in this subject. Hence, this paper extensively covers the protocol of such a trial conducted in an urban slum of Karachi, Pakistan. METHODS The trial is community-based, open-labelled, four-arm, and randomized controlled that will include parallel group assignments with a 1:1:1:1 allocation ratio in low-income squatter settlements in urban Karachi, Pakistan. All pregnant women (PW), if identified between > 8 and < 19 weeks of gestation based on ultrasound, will be offered routine antenatal care (ANC) counseling and voluntary participation in the trial after written informed consent. A total number of 1836 PW will be enrolled with informed consent and randomly allocated to one of the four arms receiving: (1) ANC counseling only (control group), (2) ANC counseling plus BEP supplement (intervention arm 1), (3) ANC counseling plus BEP supplement plus 2 doses azithromycin (intervention arm 2), or (4) ANC counseling plus BEP supplement plus daily single dose of nicotinamide and choline (intervention arm 3). TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04012177 . Registered on July 9, 2019.
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