Comorbidities of child malnutrition in low- and medium-income countries: A systematic review

Abstract

The study intended to review the best evidence on prevalence, diagnosis, and treatment outcomes of comorbidities associated with child malnutrition. The study design was a systematic review of quantitative studies. Critical appraisal tools were used to assess the methodological quality of the studies. Data were extracted according to the predetermined data extraction table. Data were further analyzed narratively according to the set study objectives and main concepts. Fifteen studies were eligible to include in the review. All 15 studies reported on the prevalence of 4 child malnutrition-associated comorbidities. Five (n = 5/15) studies reported on length of hospitalization/stay, 10 (n = 10) studies on recovery rate, and 9 (n = 9/15) studies on mortality rate as treatment outcomes of child malnutrition associated comorbidities. The most prevalent child malnutrition associated comorbidities were tuberculosis, pneumonia, gastroenteritis, and anemia. The treatment outcomes identified included the length of hospitalization/stay, recovery rate, and mortality rate. Screening of prevalent comorbidities in children admitted with malnutrition should be standard procedure in practice. More research needs to be done on the diagnosis of under-5 child malnutrition associated comorbidities.