High Incidence of Refeeding Syndrome during the Transition from F75 to Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Feeds among Children 6 to 59 Months with Severe Acute Malnutrition at the Pediatric Nutritional Unit of Mulago Hospital

Background. Refeeding syndrome is a complication developed by children being managed for severe acute malnutrition (SAM). It is caused by changes in electrolyte balance once high-caloric feeding is reinitiated. Phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium are the main electrolytes affected when it occurs. H...

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Main Authors: Wani Muzeyi, Teddy Ochieng Andra, Lorraine Oriokot, Victor Musiime
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-01-01
Series:Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2024/5469478
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author Wani Muzeyi
Teddy Ochieng Andra
Lorraine Oriokot
Victor Musiime
author_facet Wani Muzeyi
Teddy Ochieng Andra
Lorraine Oriokot
Victor Musiime
author_sort Wani Muzeyi
collection DOAJ
description Background. Refeeding syndrome is a complication developed by children being managed for severe acute malnutrition (SAM). It is caused by changes in electrolyte balance once high-caloric feeding is reinitiated. Phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium are the main electrolytes affected when it occurs. However, hypophosphatemia is the hallmark of the diagnosis of refeeding syndrome. WHO recommends inpatient management of patients with complicated SAM with initially F75 which is low in calories and later transitioned to RUTF which is high in calories but also has a higher phosphorus content. Objective. This study aims to determine the incidence and factors associated with refeeding syndrome in the transition phase when treating children aged 6 to 59 months with severe acute malnutrition at the Mwanamugimu Nutritional Unit, Mulago. Methods. We conducted a prospective cohort study at the Mwanamugimu Nutritional Unit of Mulago National Referral Hospital. A total of 150 children between 6 and 59 months with SAM were enrolled into the study. We measured serum electrolytes (phosphorus, sodium, and potassium) at admission, initiation of RUTF, and 48 hours after transition. The refeeding syndrome was diagnosed by a drop in serum phosphorus of more than 0.3 mmol from baseline. The data were analyzed using STATA 17.0. Incidence of refeeding syndrome was determined as the proportion of participants whose serum phosphorus declined by more than 0.3 mmol from baseline. For factors associated, a multivariate-modified Poisson regression analysis reporting relative risk was performed with a 0.2 level of significance at bivariate and 0.05 at multivariate analyses. Results. Of the 150 children recruited, 35 were lost to follow-up and 115 children had their data analyzed. Of the 115 participants in the study, 40 developed refeeding syndrome indicating a cumulative incidence of 34.8% with a 95% CI of 26.5–44%. A low baseline serum sodium (RR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.80–0.99, and P value: 0.038) and having edematous malnutrition (RR: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.81–0.99, and P value; 0.042) at admission were found to be significant (P<0.05) risk factors of refeeding syndrome. Conclusion. The cumulative incidence of RFS of 34.8% is very high. RFS is found to be associated with low baseline sodium and pedal edema. Children with a low baseline sodium and edema should undergo a cautious transition of feeds.
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spelling doaj-art-79e12cfc0c1f4e5d8c09fff421b71f902025-02-02T23:07:58ZengWileyJournal of Nutrition and Metabolism2090-07322024-01-01202410.1155/2024/5469478High Incidence of Refeeding Syndrome during the Transition from F75 to Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Feeds among Children 6 to 59 Months with Severe Acute Malnutrition at the Pediatric Nutritional Unit of Mulago HospitalWani Muzeyi0Teddy Ochieng Andra1Lorraine Oriokot2Victor Musiime3Department of Pediatrics and Child HealthDepartment of Pediatrics and Child HealthDepartment of Pediatrics and Child HealthDepartment of Pediatrics and Child HealthBackground. Refeeding syndrome is a complication developed by children being managed for severe acute malnutrition (SAM). It is caused by changes in electrolyte balance once high-caloric feeding is reinitiated. Phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium are the main electrolytes affected when it occurs. However, hypophosphatemia is the hallmark of the diagnosis of refeeding syndrome. WHO recommends inpatient management of patients with complicated SAM with initially F75 which is low in calories and later transitioned to RUTF which is high in calories but also has a higher phosphorus content. Objective. This study aims to determine the incidence and factors associated with refeeding syndrome in the transition phase when treating children aged 6 to 59 months with severe acute malnutrition at the Mwanamugimu Nutritional Unit, Mulago. Methods. We conducted a prospective cohort study at the Mwanamugimu Nutritional Unit of Mulago National Referral Hospital. A total of 150 children between 6 and 59 months with SAM were enrolled into the study. We measured serum electrolytes (phosphorus, sodium, and potassium) at admission, initiation of RUTF, and 48 hours after transition. The refeeding syndrome was diagnosed by a drop in serum phosphorus of more than 0.3 mmol from baseline. The data were analyzed using STATA 17.0. Incidence of refeeding syndrome was determined as the proportion of participants whose serum phosphorus declined by more than 0.3 mmol from baseline. For factors associated, a multivariate-modified Poisson regression analysis reporting relative risk was performed with a 0.2 level of significance at bivariate and 0.05 at multivariate analyses. Results. Of the 150 children recruited, 35 were lost to follow-up and 115 children had their data analyzed. Of the 115 participants in the study, 40 developed refeeding syndrome indicating a cumulative incidence of 34.8% with a 95% CI of 26.5–44%. A low baseline serum sodium (RR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.80–0.99, and P value: 0.038) and having edematous malnutrition (RR: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.81–0.99, and P value; 0.042) at admission were found to be significant (P<0.05) risk factors of refeeding syndrome. Conclusion. The cumulative incidence of RFS of 34.8% is very high. RFS is found to be associated with low baseline sodium and pedal edema. Children with a low baseline sodium and edema should undergo a cautious transition of feeds.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2024/5469478
spellingShingle Wani Muzeyi
Teddy Ochieng Andra
Lorraine Oriokot
Victor Musiime
High Incidence of Refeeding Syndrome during the Transition from F75 to Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Feeds among Children 6 to 59 Months with Severe Acute Malnutrition at the Pediatric Nutritional Unit of Mulago Hospital
Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism
title High Incidence of Refeeding Syndrome during the Transition from F75 to Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Feeds among Children 6 to 59 Months with Severe Acute Malnutrition at the Pediatric Nutritional Unit of Mulago Hospital
title_full High Incidence of Refeeding Syndrome during the Transition from F75 to Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Feeds among Children 6 to 59 Months with Severe Acute Malnutrition at the Pediatric Nutritional Unit of Mulago Hospital
title_fullStr High Incidence of Refeeding Syndrome during the Transition from F75 to Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Feeds among Children 6 to 59 Months with Severe Acute Malnutrition at the Pediatric Nutritional Unit of Mulago Hospital
title_full_unstemmed High Incidence of Refeeding Syndrome during the Transition from F75 to Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Feeds among Children 6 to 59 Months with Severe Acute Malnutrition at the Pediatric Nutritional Unit of Mulago Hospital
title_short High Incidence of Refeeding Syndrome during the Transition from F75 to Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Feeds among Children 6 to 59 Months with Severe Acute Malnutrition at the Pediatric Nutritional Unit of Mulago Hospital
title_sort high incidence of refeeding syndrome during the transition from f75 to ready to use therapeutic feeds among children 6 to 59 months with severe acute malnutrition at the pediatric nutritional unit of mulago hospital
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2024/5469478
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