The role of Maximum Thigh Circumference as Screening test for Malnutrition in Tikrit Teaching Hospital

Abstract

Worldwide, malnutrition is common and is responsible directly or indirectly for about a third of all deaths of children under 5 years of age. Primary malnutrition also continues to occur in developed countries as a result of poverty, parental neglect or poor education. Specific nutritional deficiencies, particularly of iron, remain common in developed countries. Restrictive diets may be iatrogenic as a result of exclusion diets or parental food fads, or may be self-inflicted.This study was done to determine the role of Maximum Thigh Circumference as screening test in early detection of malnutrition . A descriptive cross sectional study was done on children attending the pediatric department , and nutrition department in Tikrit Teaching Hospital from 15th March 2014 to 5th June 2014. The study included 160 Chitdren, their age from (2months -Syears). Each child included in the study was assessed by a prepared questionnaire. Screening done by measuring Weight for age, Height for age, Occipitofrontal  Circumference  for age, and Mid-arm circumference , and then diagnostic test done by depending on weight for height to confirm diagnosis or exclude malnutrition. The total number of cases 160 case (50% boys and 49o/o girls )r45% from cases are malnourished and 54oh with normal growth .ages range from 2month to 5 years .higher cases of malnutrition were females 57o/o. abofi 19 (47.5oh) of normal children were females who lived in urban area, While 31 (65.9%) of males who lived in rural area were normal nutritional state. among malnourished children there were 24(77.4o/o)r34(80.9o/o) males and females subsequently lived in rural area . Most cases of malnutrition were in bottle feeding 63Yo anil most cases of normal nutritional state were on mixed 24Yo anll solid food 20oA . It found that 3lo/o (from 48cases) of normal males their mothers were on primary school and38Yo(from 39case)of normal females their mothen were on primary school also. 457o (from 33cases) of malnourished males their mothens were illiterate, read and write ,While 507o(from 40 case)of malnourished females their mothem were read and write Anthropometric measures , Mid-Upper arm Circumference(MUAC)  is highly sensitive test 917o for detection of malnutrition and Wt/age is specific test 92Yo. Mean llrlaximum Thigh Circumference GVITC) for nomal male:(21+/-3)& for malnourished male :(14+/-3). Mean MTC for normal female zQl+l-2) &for malnourished  female :(15+/-3). The sensitivity of MTC is high in females 97o/oand specific in males 817o.
Finally the present study concluded that the using of maximum thigh circumference is a good method to detect early malnourished cases .