Children with acute malnutrition in Africa and Asia are more likely to experience treatment failure and malaria reinfection, even when administered the recommended antimalarial treatments, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at the Infectious Diseases Data Observatory (IDDO) at Oxford University. Published in The Lancet Global Health, the study analyzed data from over 11,000 young children.
The analysis indicated that children under the age of 5 who were severely underweight for their height faced nearly double the risk of malaria treatment failure, despite receiving the World Health Organization’s recommended doses of artemisinin-based combination therapy, the current frontline treatment for falciparum malaria.
Estimates suggest that approximately 47 million children worldwide suffer from acute malnutrition, with a significant rise over the past three years, adding 13.6 million more children to this vulnerable group. Regions affected by malnutrition often overlap with malaria-endemic areas, particularly in tropical and sub-tropical regions, where children under 5 account for 80% of all malaria-related deaths.
The study findings indicate that acute malnutrition not only contributes to treatment failure but also increases the susceptibility of children to severe malaria and mortality. Professor Philippe Guerin, the study lead and Director of the Infectious Diseases Data Observatory, emphasized the lack of research on the effectiveness of antimalarial drugs in malnourished children due to limited resources in poorer communities.
By pooling individual patient data from 36 antimalarial efficacy studies conducted in 24 countries, the research team identified a clear association between malnutrition and increased risk of treatment failure. Dr. Kasia Stepniewska, the IDDO Head of Statistics, highlighted the significance of combining data from various studies to establish patterns that would otherwise be obscured by individual study limitations.
Professor Karen Barnes, study author and Head of WWARN’s Africa Hub at the University of Cape Town, emphasized the value of data pooling in research on poverty-related diseases across multiple regions. The Infectious Diseases Data Observatory’s extensive data repository offers a valuable resource for researchers worldwide.
The study underscores the importance of recording height and weight measurements in future malaria studies to identify at-risk children who may require closer medical monitoring to prevent treatment failure. Additionally, further research is needed to optimize the dosage of current antimalarial drugs for children with acute malnutrition. The study’s conclusions emphasize the need for tailored interventions to improve treatment outcomes and reduce the burden of malaria in vulnerable populations.
*Note:
1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it.