Electrical battery ; Health

RATIONALE: In the Philippines, 25% of children < 10 years old are underweight. The use of energy-dense ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) augments caloric intake. No local studies have evaluated RUTF.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy, safety and acceptability of a modified RUTF (mRUTF) to supplement caloric intake.

METHOD: One hundred (100) children 18 months to 10 years old with mild to moderate malnutrition were randomized to either mRUTF or control group. The treatment arm received mRUTF during weekdays for 5 weeks while controls had no supplementation. Anthropometric measurements were taken at baseline, weekly for 5 weeks and 2 weeks post-supplementation.

RESULTS: The two groups were comparable at baseline. At five weekly intervals, there was no significant difference in weight, height and mid upper arm circumference between groups, although the mean percentage weight gain of the mRUTF group was higher compared with controls (8% vs 2.6%, p=0.15). Cessation of supplementation resulted in weight loss in the mRUTF group. [mRUTF: -0.40 (0.33) vs -0.03 (0.35), p=0.00]. The taste of mRUTF was acceptable.

CONCLUSION: Ready-to-use-therapeutic food is an effective, safe and acceptable alternative supplement for children, 18 months to 10 years old, with mild to moderate malnutrition.

Human ; Male ; Female ; Child ; Child Preschool ; Infant ; Thinness ; Philippines ; Weight Gain ; Taste ; Arm ; Weight Loss ; Energy Intake ; Dietary Supplements ; Taste Perception ; Malnutrition

Background: Pre-eclampsia is a multi-organ progressive disorder that is estimated to complicate 2 to 8% of pregnancies. Numerous studies on prophylactic aspirin intake among high-risk pregnant women has been established but studies involving low-risk primigravida women are limited. Objectives: To determine if prophylactic intake of aspirin will reduce the occurrence of preeclampsia among primigravida women with no identified comorbidities and to determine the incidence and association of identified secondary outcomes. Methodology: This retrospective cohort study was conducted from January 2018 to December 2020 in two (2) tertiary hospitals in the province of Cavite. Two hundred four (204) primigravida women with no identified co-morbidities and delivered to a singleton fetus, vaginally or operatively, were identified and included. In-patient and out-patient charts of primigravida women, with aspirin intake versus no aspirin intake, were reviewed. Primary outcome (pregnancy induced hypertension) and secondary outcomes (preterm delivery, small-for-gestational age infants, IUFD, HELLP syndrome and abruption placenta) were identified. Results: The mean age of patients was 27.1 years and 25.9 years in the aspirin and non-aspirin group, respectively. In aspirin group, 4.9% of the patients developed pre-eclampsia versus 9.8% in non-aspirin group showing statistical significance. The effect of aspirin across other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy were noted to be the same. However, influence of aspirin with the average blood pressure on admission and secondary outcomes were not statistically significant. Conclusion CONCLUSION: Prophylactic aspirin intake has a significant effect in preventing pre-eclampsia among non-high risk primigravida women but did not influence the average blood pressure on admission, development of preterm PIH, and development of the secondary outcomes.
Aspirin ; Pre-Eclampsia