Demographic & anthropometric measurements for study participants
| Parameter | Group I (SAM with complications) (mean ± SD) | Group II (SAM without complications) (mean ± SD) | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age (month) | 15.11 ± 10.96 | 23.36 ± 12.77 | 0.01 | |
| Gender | Male | 28 | 35 | 0.06 |
| Female | 25 | 18 | ||
| Economic status | High | 2 | 0 | 0.24 |
| Low | 51 | 53 | ||
| Height (cm) | 69.95 ± 9.37 | 76.05 ± 9.31 | 0.001** | |
| Weight (kg) | 6.084 ± 1.87 | 7.599 ± 1.74 | 0.001** | |
| MUAC (cm) | 10.79 ± 1.32 | 12.72 ± 0.93 | 0.001** | |
| Head circumference (cm) | 41.06 ± 3.52 | 44.51 ± 4.96 | 0.001** | |
| Chest circumference (cm) | 41.66 ± 4.59 | 43.05 ± 6.34 | 0.198 | |
| BMI for age percentile | 13.01 ± 0.55 | 11.31 ± 2.20 | 0.001** | |
| Height for age (z-score) | –3.4 ± 0.53 | –3 ± 0.00 | 0.001** | |
| Weight for height (z-score) | –3.4 ± 0.53 | –3 ± 0.00 | 0.001** | |
** P value < 0.05 was considered significant; SAM: severe acute malnutrition; MUAC: mid-upper arm circumference