Diarrhoea and nutritional status as risk factors of child mortality in a Dakar hospital (Senegal)

A study of 571 preschool children admitted to a Dakar, Senegal hospital with infectious diseases evaluated the influence of nutritional status (using their weight/height (W/H) ratio) and diarrhea at admission as subsequent compounding risk factors for mortality. Mortality below the 80th W/H percentile was 2.64-fold greater than above this percentile, and mortality of those with edema was 6.21 greater. Mortality of children with diarrhea was 1.97-fold that of children without diarrhea, and this rose to 3.73-fold with dehydration at admission. The results emphasize that young children admitted to hospitals should immediately be treated for diarrhea, malnutrition, and dehydration at admission to reduce mortality risk.(wz)