The prevalence of malnutrition among critically ill children: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Background Critically ill children have a lower nutritional reserve, compounding the restricted food intake during intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital stays, and scarce data are available to point out the problem. Therefore, this review aimed to assess the pooled prevalence of malnutrition among critically ill children. Methodology This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the JBI methodology for systematic reviews of prevalence and incidence. Databases including, PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL/EBSCO, HINARI, Google Scholar, and gray literatures were used to find relevant articles. Eligible studies were critically appraised by two independent reviewers. Systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted using STATA 17 software. Funnel plot and at the 5% significance level, Egger’s test were used to check for publication bias. Result From a total of 15 studies with 4331 study participants, the pooled prevalence of malnutrition in critically ill children was 37.19% (95% CI; 35.89–38.49) with a significant statistical heterogeneity (I2 = 98.6, P = < 0.0001). High income countries reported the lower pooled prevalence of malnutrition among critically ill children (30.14%, 95% CI; 28.41, 31.88). No publication bias was reported and sensitivity analysis suggested that no significance difference was shown in the prevalence of malnutrition among critically ill children with the pooled prevalence. Conclusion The current systematic review and meta-analysis showed that more than one in three critically ill children was malnourished. Serious medical conditions in children that deserve admission to the intensive care unit could be a complication of malnutrition that may end up in deaths unless the undernutrition is addressed together with critical care intervention. Hence, specific strategies to prevent malnutrition among this neglected segment should be integrated with the existing healthcare systems and nutritional programs.

Feasibility of Achieving Nutritional Adequacy in Critically Ill Children with Critical Neurological Illnesses (CNIs)?—A Quaternary Hospital Experience

“…Our study on patients with CNI in our institution showed that 12% of the patients were diagnosed as underweight, 22.5% exhibited signs of chronic malnutrition, and 8% were classified as acute malnutrition ( Table 1 ). These results align with previously published reports of a ~20–30% prevalence of malnutrition in developed countries [ 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 ].…”

Navigating the nutritional paradox: The impact of sustainable development targets on childhood wasting and overweight prevalence

“…It has a far-reaching impact on a child's physical and cognitive development [4,5]. Malnourished children have an increased risk of infectious and non-communicable diseases, and long-term sequelae include delayed mental development, poor school performance, and reduced intellectual capacity [6][7][8]. These impacts can extend into adulthood, affecting work capacity, causing reduced economic productivity and income, and intergenerational transmission of poverty and poor health [5,6].…”