Correlation between MUAC z-score and the anthropometric indexes, weight and height, in the assessment of the nutritional status of pediatric inpatients.

Nutrition plays a crucial role in the growth of healthy children, and its role is particularly critical in pediatric patients to help increase response to treatment, reduce morbidity and mortality, improve quality of life, and reduce treatment costs. Anthropometric indexes are an integral part of screening and assessment of the nutritional status. The present study aimed to examine the correlation between the mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) z-score with anthropometric indexes, such as weight and height, in the assessment of the nutritional status of pediatric inpatients. The present cross-sectional study was conducted on 500 pediatrics from 2 to 60 months of age. The nutritional status of all the pediatric patients was assessed using the following metrics: Weight for age, height for age, weight for height, MUAC for age. The nutritional status was then classified based on the z-score according to the WHO 2006 guidelines as follows: Weight/age: underweight (20.8%), overweight and obese (1.8%); weight/height: Wasting (14%), overweight and obese (5.4%); height/age: Stunting (24%), of which severe (10.2%); MUAC z-score: Malnutrition (27.2%), of which severe malnutrition (14.4%), and overweight (1%). The MUAC z-score was strongly associated with weight/height z-score (r=0.608; P<0.001). Thus, the present study demonstrates that it is necessary to use a combination of all three anthropometric indexes, namely weight, height and MUAC to detect early clinical malnutrition, particularly in patients whose weight is affected by fluid status; MUAC is an integral tool for assessing the nutritional status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]