Comparison of a Novel Ready-to-use Supplementary Food (RUSF) With Whey Permeate to Standard Peanut/Soy RUSF for the Treatment of Moderate Acute Malnutrition in Rural Malawian Children: a Randomised, Double-blinded, Clinical Effectiveness Trial
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Malnutrition
- Sponsor
- Washington University School of Medicine
- Enrollment
- 2259
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Recovery From Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM)
- Status
- Completed
- Last Updated
- 7 years ago
Overview
Brief Summary
This is a prospective, randomized, double-blinded, controlled clinical effectiveness trial of two supplementary foods in the treatment of MAM.
Specific Aim 1: Test the effectiveness of two supplementary foods, whey RUSF and soy RUSF, in the treatment of MAM in 6-59 month old children in a 12-week home-based supplementary feeding program.
Hypothesis: The proportion of children who recover receiving either soy or whey RUSF will differ by no more than three percent.
Detailed Description
This will be a randomized, double-blinded, controlled clinical effectiveness trial assessing the treatment of moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) with one of two supplementary foods for a period of up to 12 weeks. The overall purpose of this research is to see if your child will grow and gain weight more rapidly using one of two peanut butter foods as he/she recovers from protein-energy malnutrition. Subjects will be given a soy or dairy peanut butter food at their home. The peanut butter food has either small amounts of soya protein and minerals (iron, zinc) or whey powder and minerals added to them. Subjects will have enough food to feed the child for 2 weeks, and asked to return every 2 weeks to be weighed, measured and given more food. The parents of the subjects will be asked to feed their child this food until his/her weight has returned to what is considered normal for the child's height. Subjects will then return after 3, 6 and 12 months for a check-up. At these check-ups, he/she will be measured and examined. The current standard of care is to allow the child to recover without food or with supplemental flour thus all participation is related to research. Participation in this study is expected to last 8-12 weeks of therapy with follow up in 12 months after completion of the therapy.
Investigators
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •Children with MAM defined as mid-upper-arm circumference, MUAC, ≤ 12.5 cm and \> 11.5 cm without bipedal edema.
Exclusion Criteria
- •Children simultaneously involved in another research trial or supplemental feeding program
- •Children with developmentally delayed
- •Children with a chronic debilitating illness such as cerebral palsy (not including HIV or TB)
- •Children with a history of peanut or milk allergy
- •Children will also be excluded if they had received therapy for acute malnutrition within one month prior to presentation.
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Recovery From Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM)
Time Frame: 3 months
The primary outcome measures will be recovery from MAM (achieving MUAC ≥ 12.5 cm by 12 weeks) or failure (death, development of severe acute malnutrition, transfer to hospital for inpatient care, failure to recover from MAM by 12 weeks, default).
Secondary Outcomes
- Mid-Upper-Arm Circumference (MUAC) Gain(3 months)
- Height(3 months)
- Weight(3 months)
- Time to Graduation(3 months)
- Adverse Events(3 months)