Utility of bio-electrical impedance vector analysis for monitoring treatment of severe acute malnutrition in children

Summary Background & Aims Change in hydration is common in children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) including during treatment, but is difficult to assess. We investigated the utility of bio-electrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA), a quick non-invasive method, for indexing hydration during treatment. Methods We studied 350 children 0·5-14 years of age with SAM (mid-upper arm circumference Results SAM children with oedema were less wasted than those without (p Conclusions BIVA can be used in children with SAM to distinguish tissue-vs. hydration-related weight changes during treatment, and also identify children at high risk of death enabling early clinical interventions.