Treatment of Acute Malnutrition in Outpatient Care Services in Venezuela: a Prospective Cohort Research

NCT ID: NCT06287827

Last Updated: 2024-10-02

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Total Enrollment

299 participants

Study Classification

OBSERVATIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-02-14

Study Completion Date

2024-08-31

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

The goal of this observational study is to compare the effectiveness, safety, and efficiency of the simplified protocol, which includes the following three modifications: a) use of a single treatment product (RUTF), b) reduced dose, c) expanded cut-offs, with the standard protocol based on the 2023 World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for the prevention and treatment of acute malnutrition in children aged 6 to 59 months, in outpatient care services of the states of Bolívar, Capital District, La Guaira, and Miranda of Venezuela.

The main question it aims to answer is:

What is the effectiveness, safety, and efficiency of the simplified protocol, which includes these three modifications (use of a single treatment product (RUTF), reduced dose, expanded cut-offs) when compared to a standard protocol that is based on the 2023 WHO guidelines for the prevention and treatment of acute malnutrition in children aged 6 to 59 months in the outpatient care services of the states of Bolívar, Capital District, La Guaira, and Miranda of Venezuela? This prospective cohort, longitudinal study will be conducted in 4 states, treating children aged 6-59 months diagnosed with uncomplicated AM, defined as WHZ \<-2 or mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC) \<125mm or bilateral edema. Children will be prospectively followed for 16 weeks or until their recovery.

Researchers will compare the simplified protocol cohort with the standard protocol cohort to determine which one has the best effectiveness, safety, and efficiency indicators in the Venezuela context.

The effectiveness of the treatment will be measured by the recovery rate, duration of the treatment, and changes in anthropometry (weight, height, and arm circumference). Other treatment effects will also be measured, including how many are admitted to the hospital, death, and relapse rates from the nutritional program. An economic evaluation component will be incorporated. Total costs will be aggregated and presented as costs per child treated and per child recovered.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

The general objective of the study is to compare the effectiveness, safety, and efficiency of the simplified protocol, which includes the following three modifications: a) use of a single treatment product (RUTF), b) reduced dose, c) expanded cut-offs, with the standard protocol based on the 2023 WHO guidelines for the prevention and treatment of acute malnutrition in children aged 6 to 59 months in outpatient care services in the states Bolívar, Capital District, La Guaira, and Miranda of Venezuela.

This will be a multicentric and prospective cohort study assessing the Simplified Protocol with the Standard Protocol, among children with uncomplicated acute malnutrition. Children will be prospectively followed until their recovery or for a maximum of 16 weeks.

The study will be implemented in 4 Venezuelan states chosen based on their acute malnutrition prevalence and operational constraints.

The protocol will be implemented by health professionals from each institution, duly previously trained in applying the study protocol.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Acute Malnutrition in Childhood Wasting Child Malnutrition

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Observational Model Type

COHORT

Study Time Perspective

PROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

Simplified protocol

The first cohort will be composed of all children between 6 and 59 months of age who attend predefined outpatient care points in the states Distrito Capital, Miranda, and La Guaira. These children must meet the inclusion criteria for the research. For those selected in these centers, the method of nutritional treatment for acute malnutrition will be the simplified protocol. Adaptations in this protocol include:

1. Use of a single treatment product (Ready to use therapeutic food).
2. Reduced dose.
3. Expanded cut-offs.

Simplified protocol

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

MUAC-based dosing:

* SAM \[MUAC \<115mm or WHZ \<-3 or oedema (+/++)\] = Two 92g sachets Ready to use Therapeutic Food (RUTF)/day (Approx. 1000 kcal/day).
* MAM \[MUAC 115mm\<125mm or WHZ \<-2\] = One 92g sachet RUTF/day (Approx. 500 kcal/day).

Standard protocol

The second cohort will be composed of all children between 6 and 59 months of age who attend other predefined outpatient care points in the four states and met the inclusion criteria for this research. Nutritional treatment will be administered to these children, following the WHO Standard Protocol.

Standard protocol

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Weight-based dosing

* SAM: Mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC) \<115mm or Weight-Height/length Z Score \<-3 or mild or moderate bipedal oedema: 150-185 kcal/kg/day is offered using RUTF until the patient passes to MAM and then the dose is reduced to 100 -130 kcal/kg/day using RUTF until recovery.
* MAM: MUAC 115-\<125mm or Weight-Height/length Z Score \<-2: 100-130 kcal/kg/day is offered using RUTF until recovery.

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Simplified protocol

MUAC-based dosing:

* SAM \[MUAC \<115mm or WHZ \<-3 or oedema (+/++)\] = Two 92g sachets Ready to use Therapeutic Food (RUTF)/day (Approx. 1000 kcal/day).
* MAM \[MUAC 115mm\<125mm or WHZ \<-2\] = One 92g sachet RUTF/day (Approx. 500 kcal/day).

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Standard protocol

Weight-based dosing

* SAM: Mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC) \<115mm or Weight-Height/length Z Score \<-3 or mild or moderate bipedal oedema: 150-185 kcal/kg/day is offered using RUTF until the patient passes to MAM and then the dose is reduced to 100 -130 kcal/kg/day using RUTF until recovery.
* MAM: MUAC 115-\<125mm or Weight-Height/length Z Score \<-2: 100-130 kcal/kg/day is offered using RUTF until recovery.

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Simplified protocol cohort

* MUAC \<125 mm or
* Weight-Height/length Z Score \<-2 or
* Mild bipedal pitting oedema.

And all the following:

* No medical complications
* Positive appetite test.

* Standard protocol cohort

SAM:

* MUAC \<115 mm or
* Weight-Height/length Z Score \<-3 or
* Mild bipedal pitting oedema

And all the following:

* No medical complications
* Positive appetite test

MAM (Although MAM cases are not traditionally included, in this study they will be incorporated if they meet the following criteria):

* MUAC ≥ 115 mm to \< 125 mm or
* Weight-Height/length Z Score ≥ -3 to \< -2 and
* No nutritional oedema

And at least one the following:

* Failing to recover from moderate wasting after receiving other interventions (counselling alone).
* Having relapsed to moderate wasting
* History of severe wasting
* Households' low socioeconomic status (Determined by Graffar-Mendez-Castellanos method)
* Co-morbidity (HIV, tuberculosis, or a physical or mental disability that does not jeopardize the anthropometric measurements)

Exclusion Criteria

* Both cohorts:

* Congenital malformations that make anthropometric measurements impossible.
* Family that intends to leave the study area before four months.
* Presence of medical condition requiring referral for hospitalization. Presence of medical condition requiring referral for hospitalization.
Minimum Eligible Age

6 Months

Maximum Eligible Age

59 Months

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

UNICEF - Venezuela

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Pablo Hernandez, MSc

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Nutri Consult

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

Bolivar State Centers

Puerto Ordaz and San Felix, Bolívar, Venezuela

Site Status

Ditrict Capital centers

Caracas, Distrito Federal, Venezuela

Site Status

Miranda State Centers

Santa Lucía, Miranda, Venezuela

Site Status

La Guaira State Centers

La Guaira, , Venezuela

Site Status

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

Venezuela

References

Explore related publications, articles, or registry entries linked to this study.

Alvarez Moran JL, Ale GBF, Charle P, Sessions N, Doumbia S, Guerrero S. The effectiveness of treatment for Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) delivered by community health workers compared to a traditional facility based model. BMC Health Serv Res. 2018 Mar 27;18(1):207. doi: 10.1186/s12913-018-2987-z.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29580238 (View on PubMed)

Bahwere P. Severe acute malnutrition during emergencies: burden management, and gaps. Food Nutr Bull. 2014 Jun;35(2 Suppl):S47-51. doi: 10.1177/15648265140352S107.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 25069293 (View on PubMed)

Maust A, Koroma AS, Abla C, Molokwu N, Ryan KN, Singh L, Manary MJ. Severe and Moderate Acute Malnutrition Can Be Successfully Managed with an Integrated Protocol in Sierra Leone. J Nutr. 2015 Nov;145(11):2604-9. doi: 10.3945/jn.115.214957. Epub 2015 Sep 30.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 26423737 (View on PubMed)

Bailey J, Opondo C, Lelijveld N, Marron B, Onyo P, Musyoki EN, Adongo SW, Manary M, Briend A, Kerac M. A simplified, combined protocol versus standard treatment for acute malnutrition in children 6-59 months (ComPAS trial): A cluster-randomized controlled non-inferiority trial in Kenya and South Sudan. PLoS Med. 2020 Jul 9;17(7):e1003192. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1003192. eCollection 2020 Jul.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 32645109 (View on PubMed)

Stephenson KB, Agapova SE, Hendrixson DT, Koroma AS, Manary MJ. An Optimized Dose of Therapeutic Feeding Results in Noninferior Growth in Midupper Arm Circumference Compared with a Standard Dose in Children in Sierra Leone Recovering from Acute Malnutrition. Curr Dev Nutr. 2021 Feb 2;5(2):nzab007. doi: 10.1093/cdn/nzab007. eCollection 2021 Feb.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 33659773 (View on PubMed)

James PT, Van den Briel N, Rozet A, Israel AD, Fenn B, Navarro-Colorado C. Low-dose RUTF protocol and improved service delivery lead to good programme outcomes in the treatment of uncomplicated SAM: a programme report from Myanmar. Matern Child Nutr. 2015 Oct;11(4):859-69. doi: 10.1111/mcn.12192. Epub 2015 Apr 7.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 25850698 (View on PubMed)

Daures M, Phelan K, Issoufou M, Kouanda S, Sawadogo O, Issaley K, Cazes C, Seri B, Ouaro B, Akpakpo B, Mendiboure V, Shepherd S, Becquet R. New approach to simplifying and optimising acute malnutrition treatment in children aged 6-59 months: the OptiMA single-arm proof-of-concept trial in Burkina Faso. Br J Nutr. 2020 Apr 14;123(7):756-767. doi: 10.1017/S0007114519003258. Epub 2019 Dec 10.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 31818335 (View on PubMed)

Hussain I, Habib A, Ariff S, Khan GN, Rizvi A, Channar S, Hussain A, Fazal S, Kumar D, Alvarez JL, Guerrero S, Grant A, Soofi SB. Effectiveness of management of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) through community health workers as compared to a traditional facility-based model: a cluster randomized controlled trial. Eur J Nutr. 2021 Oct;60(7):3853-3860. doi: 10.1007/s00394-021-02550-y. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 33880645 (View on PubMed)

Lelijveld N, Bailey J, Mayberry A, Trenouth L, N'Diaye DS, Haghparast-Bidgoli H, Puett C. The "ComPAS Trial" combined treatment model for acute malnutrition: study protocol for the economic evaluation. Trials. 2018 Apr 24;19(1):252. doi: 10.1186/s13063-018-2594-7.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 29690899 (View on PubMed)

Bailey J, Lelijveld N, Marron B, Onyoo P, Ho LS, Manary M, Briend A, Opondo C, Kerac M. Combined Protocol for Acute Malnutrition Study (ComPAS) in rural South Sudan and urban Kenya: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials. 2018 Apr 24;19(1):251. doi: 10.1186/s13063-018-2643-2.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 29690916 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

190224

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.