BACKGROUND: Standard recommendations are that children with oedematous malnutrition receive inpatient therapy with a graduated feeding regimen. AIM: To investigate exclusive home-based therapy for children with oedematous malnutrition. METHODS: Children with oedematous malnutrition, good appetite and no complications were treated at home with ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) and followed up fortnightly for up to 8 wk. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: 219 children aged 1-5 y with oedema enrolled in one of two therapeutic nutritional studies in Malawi in 2003-2004. RESULTS: The overall recovery rate was 83% (182/219), and the case-fatality rate was 5% (11/219). For children with wasting and oedematous malnutrition, 65% (55/85) recovered and 7% (6/85) died. The average weight gain was 2.8+/-3.2 g/kg/d (mean+/-SD). CONCLUSION: This preliminary observation suggests that children with oedematous malnutrition and good appetite may be successfully treated with home-based therapy; a randomized, controlled trial to evaluate this is warranted.
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Ciliberto et al. (2006) studied this question.
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