Effectiveness of an Alternative Protocol in the Management of Acute Malnutrition

NCT ID: NCT06792370

Last Updated: 2025-01-24

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

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Recruitment Status

NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

3521 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-05-31

Study Completion Date

2026-12-31

Brief Summary

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This experimental study aims to test an alternative protocol for managing acute malnutrition in children aged 6-59 months in Burkina Faso. This alternative protocol consists of using RUTF instead of RUSF for the management of moderate acute malnutrition and reduced-dose RUTF instead of standard-dose RUTF for the treatment of severe acute malnutrition.

The main questions are:

1. Does treating children with moderate acute malnutrition using RUTF lead to a non-inferior programmatic and sustained recovery rate compared to the standard care with RUSF?
2. Does treating children with uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition using a reduced dose of RUTF lead to a non-inferior programmatic and sustained recovery rate compared to the standard care with a standard dose of RUFT?

Secondly, the study will investigate the effect of this alternative protocol compared to the standard protocol on cost-effectiveness, psychomotor development, weight and linear growth and incidence of relapses.

Detailed Description

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In this trial, children presenting at the health center and fulfilling the inclusion criteria will be randomly allocated into one of the study groups in a ratio of 1:1:1 for severe acute malnutrition (SAM) without complication and 1:1 for moderate acute malnutrition (MAM).

Supplementation will be daily according to the child's weight for a maximum of 12 weeks, at which point the programmatic recovery assessment will be done. Those who recovered before or at this point will be subsequently followed up monthly for up to 3 months for sustained recovery assessment.

Follow-up visits will be done at the health center every week for children with SAM and every two weeks for children with MAM.

At each visit, anthropometric measurements will be performed; a morbidity questionnaire will be administered before the mother/caregiver receives the ration for the following period. For the measurement of adherence, mothers will be asked to bring back empty and unused sachets/packaging of supplements from the last visit. Questions will also be asked to the mother/caregiver on the difficulties encountered during consumption and the adverse events observed following the consumption of the supplements.

The evaluation of the psychomotor development will be performed in a subsample.

Conditions

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Acute Malnutrition with No Complications

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Individually randomized and controlled trial
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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MAM RUTF

Participants with MAM in this arm will receive a dose of 500 kcal/kg/day of RUTF

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

ready-to-use therapeutic food (for children with MAM)

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Each child with MAM will be supplemented with RUTF for a maximum of 12 weeks. He/she will be followed subsequently up to 24 weeks.

MAM RUSF

Participants with MAM in this arm will receive a dose of 540 kcal/kg/day of RUSF

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Ready-to-use supplementary food

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Each child with MAM will be supplemented with RUSF for a maximum of 12 weeks. He/she will be followed subsequently up to 24 weeks post recovery

SAM Reduced-dose RUTF 1 (R-RUTF 1)

Participants with SAM in this arm will receive a dose of 150-185 kcal/kg/day of RUTF until programmatic recovery

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Ready to Use Therapeutic Food - Reduced dose 1

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Each child with SAM will be treated with a reduced dose for a maximum of 12 weeks : dose of 150-185 kcal/kg/day of RUTF until programmatic recovery. He/she will be followed subsequently up to 24 weeks post recovery.

SAM Reduced-dose RUTF 2 (R-RUTF 2)

Participants with SAM in this arm will receive a dose of 150-185 kcal/kg/day of RUTF until the child is no longer severely malnourished and does not have nutritional oedema then 100-130 kcal/kg/day of RUTF until programmatic recovery

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Ready to Use Therapeutic Food - Reduced dose 2

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Each child with SAM will be treated with a reduced dose for a maximum of 12 weeks : dose of 150-185 kcal/kg/day of RUTF until the child is no longer severely malnourished and does not have nutritional oedema then 100-130 kcal/kg/day of RUTF until programmatic recovery. He/she will be followed subsequently up to 24 weeks post recovery.

SAM standard dose RUTF (S-RUTF)

Participants with SAM in this arm will receive the standard dose of RUTF according to the national protocol for the integrated management of acute malnutrition in Burkina Faso

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Ready to Use Therapeutic Food - Standard dose

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Each child with SAM will be treated with a standard dose (according to the national protocol for the integrated management of acute malnutrition in Burkina Faso) for a maximum of 12 weeks. He/she will be followed subsequently up to 24 weeks post recovery.

Interventions

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ready-to-use therapeutic food (for children with MAM)

Each child with MAM will be supplemented with RUTF for a maximum of 12 weeks. He/she will be followed subsequently up to 24 weeks.

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Ready-to-use supplementary food

Each child with MAM will be supplemented with RUSF for a maximum of 12 weeks. He/she will be followed subsequently up to 24 weeks post recovery

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Ready to Use Therapeutic Food - Reduced dose 1

Each child with SAM will be treated with a reduced dose for a maximum of 12 weeks : dose of 150-185 kcal/kg/day of RUTF until programmatic recovery. He/she will be followed subsequently up to 24 weeks post recovery.

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Ready to Use Therapeutic Food - Standard dose

Each child with SAM will be treated with a standard dose (according to the national protocol for the integrated management of acute malnutrition in Burkina Faso) for a maximum of 12 weeks. He/she will be followed subsequently up to 24 weeks post recovery.

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Ready to Use Therapeutic Food - Reduced dose 2

Each child with SAM will be treated with a reduced dose for a maximum of 12 weeks : dose of 150-185 kcal/kg/day of RUTF until the child is no longer severely malnourished and does not have nutritional oedema then 100-130 kcal/kg/day of RUTF until programmatic recovery. He/she will be followed subsequently up to 24 weeks post recovery.

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Other Intervention Names

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RUTF RUSF R-RUTF 1 S-RUTF R-RUTF 2

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Anthropometric measures:

* (115 mm ≤ MUAC\< 125 mm and -3 SDs ≤ WLZ \< -2 SDs) OR
* (115 mm ≤ MUAC\< 125 mm and WLZ ≥ -2 SDs) OR
* (MUAC ≥ 125 mm and -3 SDs ≤ WLZ \< -2 SDs).
* Age: 6 to 59 months
* Parents' acceptance of biweekly visits until programme discharge and monthly visits for the post-programme follow up


* Anthropometric measures MUAC\< 115 mm or WLZ\< - 3 SDs;
* Age: 6-59 months;
* Parents' acceptance of weekly visits until programme discharge and monthly visits for the post-programme follow up.

Exclusion Criteria

* Failure of appetite test
* Medical complications requiring hospital treatment
* Presence of any congenital anomaly or underlying chronic disease that may affect growth or the risk of infection
* Presence of bilateral oedema
* History of allergies to peanuts, milk, or soya
* Relapse from MAM treatment or transfer from SAM treatment
* Children who have recently (\<2 months) taken part in a nutrition programme;
* Residence outside the study area
* Mother or caregivers deemed unable to comply with the necessary requirements of the study (particular medical condition of the mother or caregivers, etc.)
2. SAM


* Failure of appetite test
* Medical complications requiring hospital treatment
* Presence of any congenital anomaly or underlying chronic disease that may affect growth or the risk of infection
* Presence of bilateral oedema
* History of allergies to peanuts, milk or soya
* Relapse from MAM treatment or transfer from SAM treatment
* Children who have recently (\<2 months) taken part in a nutrition programme;
* Residence outside the study area;
* Mother or caregivers deemed unable to comply with the necessary requirements of the study (particular medical condition of the mother or caregivers, etc.)
Minimum Eligible Age

6 Months

Maximum Eligible Age

59 Months

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Sante, Burkina Faso

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Locations

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Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé

Ouagadougou, KADIOGO, Burkina Faso

Site Status

Countries

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Burkina Faso

Central Contacts

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Hermann Biènou LANOU, MD., PhD

Role: CONTACT

+226 66557580

Seni KOUANDA, MD., PhD

Role: CONTACT

+226 70261462

Facility Contacts

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Hermann Biènou LANOU, MD., PhD

Role: primary

+226 66557580

Seni KOUANDA, MD., PhD

Role: backup

Hermann Bienou LANOU, MD., PhD

Role: backup

Jerome W. SOME, MD., PhD

Role: backup

References

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Other Identifiers

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INV-016380-2

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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