NCT05248516

Brief Summary

Admissions criteria which treat children with only low mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) or children with low weight-for-height z-score (WHZ) are not aligned with the evidence on which children are at risk of mortality. An analysis of community-based cohort data from Senegal found that a combination of weight-for-age z-score (WAZ) and MUAC criteria identified all children at risk of near-term death associated with severe anthropometric deficits. This finding has led to the suggestion that WAZ\<-3 could be added as an independent admissions criterion for therapeutic feeding programs currently admitting children with MUAC\<125 mm. However, there is little evidence to inform the debate about whether children with MUAC ≥125 mm and WAZ\<-3 would benefit from treatment and, if so, what treatment protocol should be used. This study will address whether children with WAZ \<-3 but MUAC ≥125 mm benefit from therapeutic feeding and whether a simplified protocol is at least as effective as the more complicated weight-based standard protocol for this population. The study will be a prospective, multi-center, individually randomized controlled trial (RCT). Children aged 6-59 months presenting with MUAC ≥125 mm and WAZ\<-3 will be randomized to one of three study arms. The primary objective of this study is to assess whether therapeutic feeding with a simplified protocol (1 sachet RUTF/day) results in superior nutritional outcomes compared to no therapeutic feeding AND non-inferior nutritional outcomes compared to the WHZ and weight based dosing regimen currently used in CMAM treatment 2 months after diagnosis among children aged 6-59 months with MUAC ≥125 mm and WAZ\<-3 . The primary outcome is the mean WAZ of children. Secondary outcomes include a) proportion of children with WAZ \<-3, b) mean MUAC of children, c) proportion of children with MUAC \< 125 mm, d) mean WHZ, mean HAZ, e) proportion of children with WHZ\<-3 or HAZ\<-3, f) change in WAZ, MUAC, WHZ, HAZ from enrolment to endpoint g) mean skinfold thickness measure.

Trial Health

43
At Risk

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Trial has exceeded expected completion date
Enrollment
1,500

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for phase_2

Timeline
Completed

Started Sep 2022

Geographic Reach
1 country

11 active sites

Status
unknown

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

January 27, 2022

Completed
25 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

February 21, 2022

Completed
6 months until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

September 1, 2022

Completed
1.3 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

December 31, 2023

Completed
4 months until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

April 30, 2024

Completed
Last Updated

January 3, 2024

Status Verified

January 1, 2024

Enrollment Period

1.3 years

First QC Date

January 27, 2022

Last Update Submit

January 2, 2024

Conditions

Keywords

wastingstuntingunderweightmalnutritionready-to-use therapeutic foodacute malnutritionrandomized controlled trialweight-for-age z-scoremid-upper-arm circumferenceMali

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • weight-for-age z-score (WAZ)

    the primary outcome is a continuous outcome: a higher WAZ indicates of a positive outcome. To construct WAZ at any point in time, children's age will be calculated based on their age at admission and their weight will be measured at each time point with 0.1kg precision. WAZ will be calculated using zscore06 fonction in STATA that is based on the WHO growth reference data specific to each gender.

    2 months after enrolment

Secondary Outcomes (7)

  • weight-for-age z-score (WAZ)

    6 months after enrolment

  • weight-for-age z-score (WAZ) <-3

    both at 2 and 6 months post-enrolment

  • weight-for-height z-score (WHZ)

    both at 2 and 6 months post-enrolment

  • weight-for-height z-score (WHZ) <-3

    both at 2 and 6 months post-enrolment

  • height-for-age z-score (HAZ)

    both at 2 and 6 months post-enrolment

  • +2 more secondary outcomes

Other Outcomes (9)

  • subscapular skin-fold thickness in millimeters

    2 and 6 months post-enrolment

  • proportion having developed a mid-upper-arm circumference <125mm

    6 months post-enrolment

  • tricep skin-fold thickness in millimeters

    2 and 6 months post-enrolment

  • +6 more other outcomes

Study Arms (3)

Control

OTHER

no nutritional treatment administered

Dietary Supplement: No nutritional treatment

Simplified treatment

EXPERIMENTAL

children are provided with 1 sachet of RUTF until discharge

Dietary Supplement: Simplified dose of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF)

Standard treatment

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

children are provided nutritional treatment according to their weight-for-height z-score (WHZ) and their weight: 1. children with a WHZ\<-3 will receive 200kcal/kg/d of nutritional product until discharge 2. children with a WHZ between -3 and -2 are provided with 1 sachet of RUTF until discharge 3. children with a WHZ \>= -2 will not be provided any nutritional treatment

Dietary Supplement: Standard dose of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF)

Interventions

In the simplified arm all children receive the same dose: 1 sachet of RUTF/day. This until discharge from treatment. Recovery from treatment will be defined as WAZ\>= -3 on 2 consecutive visits. A maximum of 12 treatment weeks are allowed before declaring non-response. Defaulting will be declared after 2 consecutively missed visits.

Simplified treatment

In the standard arm, children will receive different doses of RUTF depending on their WHZ category and weight. 1. children with a WHZ\<-3 will receive the equivalent of 200kcal/kg/d of RUTF until discharge. 2. children with a WHZ between -3 and -2 will receive 1 sachet (500kcal) of RUTF per day until discharge. 3. children with a WHZ\>=-2 will receive no nutritional treatment. Recovery from treatment will be defined as WHZ\>= -2 on 2 consecutive visits. A maximum of 12 treatment weeks are allowed before declaring non-response. Defaulting will be declared after 2 consecutively missed visits.

Standard treatment
No nutritional treatmentDIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

no nutritional treatment will be provided to children in the control arm.

Control

Eligibility Criteria

Age6 Months - 59 Months
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsChild (0-17)

You may qualify if:

  • Age between 6 and 59 months
  • MUAC ≥125 mm
  • WAZ \<-3
  • Living in the study catchment area
  • Expects to be able to continue follow-up visits for next 6 months

You may not qualify if:

  • nutritional edema
  • Known peanut or milk allergy
  • Severe illnesses requiring inpatient level treatment (according to IMCI guidelines)
  • Medical condition affecting food intake (lip and palate cleft, handicap etc.)
  • Has already taken part in the study

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (11)

Dilly

Nara, Koulikoro, Mali

Location

Gassambarou

Nara, Koulikoro, Mali

Location

Goumbou

Nara, Koulikoro, Mali

Location

Kaloumba

Nara, Koulikoro, Mali

Location

Karfabougou

Nara, Koulikoro, Mali

Location

Koira

Nara, Koulikoro, Mali

Location

Koronga

Nara, Koulikoro, Mali

Location

Madina-Kagoro

Nara, Koulikoro, Mali

Location

Nara Central

Nara, Koulikoro, Mali

Location

Sampaga

Nara, Koulikoro, Mali

Location

Tiapato

Nara, Koulikoro, Mali

Location

Related Publications (1)

  • Kangas ST, Ouedraogo CT, Tounkara M, Ouoluoguem B, Coulibaly IN, Haidara A, Diarra NH, Diassana K, Tausanovitch Z, Ritz C, Wells JC, Briend A, Myatt M, Radin E, Bailey J. Nutritional treatment of children 6-59 months with severely low weight-for-age z-score: a study protocol for a 3-arm randomized controlled trial. Trials. 2024 Jan 8;25(1):30. doi: 10.1186/s13063-023-07890-0.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

ThinnessCachexiaGrowth DisordersMalnutrition

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Body WeightSigns and SymptomsPathological Conditions, Signs and SymptomsWeight LossBody Weight ChangesPathologic ProcessesNutrition DisordersNutritional and Metabolic Diseases

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
phase 2
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
DOUBLE
Who Masked
INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

January 27, 2022

First Posted

February 21, 2022

Study Start

September 1, 2022

Primary Completion

December 31, 2023

Study Completion

April 30, 2024

Last Updated

January 3, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-01

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will share

The investigators are planning on making data underlying publications available through on-line data repositories such as Zenodo. This data would be de-identified prior to sharing.

Shared Documents
STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP, ICF
Time Frame
Study protocol, SAP and ICF will be published with the main results. The SAP will also be made available through clinicaltrials.gov prior to trial data collection completion. The study data underlying the key findings will be made freely available once analysis is complete and results published for the primary and secondary objectives and outcomes.
Access Criteria
Study protocol, SAP and ICF will be openly available via the publication. The study data will be made freely available from Zenodo or similar data repository.

Locations