Robert H J Bandsma, Wieger Voskuijl, Emmanuel Chimwezi, Greg Fegan, André Briend, Johnstone Thitiri, Moses Ngari, Laura Mwalekwa, Victor Bandika, Rehema Ali, Fauzat Hamid, Betty Owor, Neema Mturi, Isabel Potani, Benjamin Allubha, Anneke C Muller Kobold, Rosalie H Bartels, Christian J Versloot, Marjon Feenstra, Deborah A van den Brink, Patrick F van Rheenen, Marko Kerac, Celine Bourdon, James A Berkley
BACKGROUND: Children with medically complicated severe acute malnutrition (SAM) have high risk of inpatient mortality. Diarrhea, carbohydrate malabsorption, and refeeding syndrome may contribute to early mortality and delayed recovery. We tested the hypothesis that a lactose-free, low-carbohydrate F75 milk would serve to limit these risks, thereby reducing the number of days in the stabilization phase. METHODS AND FINDINGS: In a multicenter double-blind trial, hospitalized severely malnourished children were randomized to receive standard formula (F75) or isocaloric modified F75 (mF75) without lactose and with reduced carbohydrate...
February 2019: PLoS Medicine