Nutritional Status of Pediatric Cancer Patients and its Association with Repeated Hospitalizations

Abstract

Background: Malnutrition is known to be a poor prognostic factor affecting the outcome of pediatric cancers. The objective of this study was to assess the pre-existing malnutrition in newly diagnosed pediatric cancer patients presenting at the Pediatric Oncology Department, Children Hospital, PIMS and their number of hospital admissions due to causes other than chemotherapy.

Methodology: Data of 44 newly diagnosed children with cancer was analyzed to find out the association of nutritional status according to z-score for weight and height for age, body mass index (BMI) and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) with their number of hospital admissions for 6 months since their date of diagnosis.

Results: The mean age of the study subjects was 4.25 ± 2.85 years, out of which 33(75%) were males and 11(25%) females. Most of the patients were diagnosed with leukemia or lymphoma.  Nutritional status evaluation of thirty patients who got admitted was mild to moderate wasting in 24(80%) assessed by weight for age, mild to moderate stunting in 21 (70%) according to height for age and mild to severe malnutrition in 10 (33%) based on body mass index and mid upper arm circumference (MUAC). There was significant association between nutritional status of patients at the time of diagnosis with additional hospitalization with p value less than 0.05

Conclusion: Malnutrition at the time of diagnosis is significantly associated with an increase in the number of hospital admissions in pediatric cancer patients.

Key words: Hospitalization, Malnutrition, Oncology, Pediatric