Objective: To determine the frequency and degree of malnutrition and its relationship with infections in hospitalized patients under 3 years old in our hospital pediatric inpatient clinic.
Methods: Antropometric measurements of 1-36 month old 260 cases hospitalized between January 1, 2011 and November 15, 2011 were evaluated retrospectively. According to Gomez and Waterlow classification, these measurements were calculated and malnutrition levels were determined. Pre-term patients and patients under 2500 gr birth weight were excluded in the study.
Results: The mean age of the cases included were 9.9±8.9 month and 109 (42%) of total patient were girls and 151 (58%) patients were boys. Malnutrition was detected in 47.3%. According to Gomez classification, 83 (32%) of the cases had mild, 24 (9.2 %) had moderate and 16 (6.1%) had severe malnutrition and there was no malnutrition in 137 (52.7%) patients. All of the patients with severe malnutrition were under one year old. According to Waterlow classification 20.4% (n=53) was defined as acute malnutrition, 19.2% (n=50) as chronic and 7.7% (n=20) as acute-chronic malnutrition. 66.5% (n=173) of all patients were hospitalized owing to various infection. It iwas defined, 123 patients with malnutrition were associated with infection and the most frequent infections determined were bronchiolits (49%), pneumenia (34.8%) and acute gastroenteritis (5.4%).
Conclusion: The results of our study showed the frequency of malnutrition in hospitalized patients is still very high and therefore beside investigation of the hospitalization reason , the all hospitalized patients should be evaluated in terms of nutrition and with this way early diagnose and treatment of malnutrition would be provided. Furthermore, infections (especially respiratory infections) could lead to or aggravate the malnutrition. Infections and malnutrition are affiliated and in vicious circle. Therefore nutrition status and antropometric measurements should be considered in all patients with infections.
Key words: Malnutrition, child, infection
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