Journal Article

Risk factors for death among children 0–59 months of age with moderate-to-severe diarrhea in Manhiça district, southern Mozambique

Alonso, Pedro, Nasrin, Dilruba, Levine, Myron M., Macete, Eusébio, Mandomando, Inácio, Kotloff, Karen, Bassat, Quique, Nhampossa, Tacilta, Quintó, Llorenç, Vubil, Delfino, Farag, Tamer, Acácio, Sozinho, Sacoor, Charfudin

2019

Overview

Background Despite major improvements in child survival rates, the number of deaths due to diarrhea remains unacceptably high. We aimed to describe diarrhea-associated mortality and evaluate risk factors for death among Mozambican children with moderate-to-severe diarrhea (MSD). Methods Between December 2007 and November 2012, children under-five with MSD were enrolled in Manhiça district, as part of the Global Enteric Multicenter study (GEMS). Clinical, epidemiological, and socio-demographic characteristics were collected. Anthropometric measurements were performed and stool samples collected upon recruitment. A follow-up visit ~ 60 days post-enrolment was conducted and verbal autopsies performed in all death cases. Results Of the 916 MSD-cases analyzed; 90% (821/916) completed 60 days follow-up and 69 patients died. The case fatality rate at follow-up was 8% (69/821), and the mortality rate 10.2 (95%CI: 7.75–13.59) deaths per 1000 persons-week at risk. Nearly half of the deaths 48% (33/69) among study participants clustered within 2 weeks of the onset of diarrhea. Typical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (typical EPEC) and Cryptosporidium were the two pathogens associated to an increased risk of death in the univariate analysis with (HR = 4.16, p  = 0.0461) and (H = 2.84, p  = 0.0001) respectively. Conversely, Rotavirus infection was associated to a decreased risk of death (HR = 0.52, p  = 0.0198) . According to the multivariate analysis, risk factors for death included co-morbidities such as malnutrition (HR = 4.13, p  <  0.0001), pneumonia/lower respiratory infection (HR = 3.51, p <  0.0001) or invasive bacterial disease (IBD) (HR = 6.80, p  = 0.0009), presenting on arrival with lethargy or overt unconsciousness (HR = 1.73, p  = 0.0302) or wrinkled skin (HR = 1.71, p  = 0.0393), and cryptosporidium infection (HR = 2.14, p  = 0.0038). When restricting the analysis to those with available HIV results ( n  = 191, 22% of the total study sample), HIV was shown to be a significant risk factor for death (HR = 5.05, p  = 0.0009). Verbal autopsies were conducted in 100% of study deaths, and highlighted diarrhea as the main underlying cause of death 39%, (27/69); followed by HIV/AIDS related deaths 29.0% (20/69) and sepsis 11.6% (8/69). Conclusion Preventive strategies targeting Cryptosporidium, malnutrition and early identification and treatment of associated co-morbidities could contribute to the prevention of the majority of diarrhea associated deaths in Mozambican children.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome / Age / AIDS / Anthropometry / Autopsies / Babies / Bacterial and fungal diseases / Bacterial diseases / Breastfeeding & lactation / Case-Control Studies / Child mortality / Child, Preschool / Children / Children & youth / Comorbidity / Cryptosporidiosis - epidemiology / Cryptosporidiosis - mortality / Cryptosporidium / Death / Demographics / Diarrea / Diarrhea / Diarrhea - epidemiology / Diarrhea - microbiology / Diarrhea - mortality / Diarrhea - virology / Disease / E coli / Epidemiology / Escherichia coli Infections - epidemiology / Escherichia coli Infections - mortality / Fatalities / Female / Gems / Health surveillance / HIV / Hospitals / Human immunodeficiency virus / Humans / Infant / Infant mortality / Infant, Newborn / Infections / Infectious Diseases / Internal Medicine / Lethargy / Male / Malnutrition / Medical Microbiology / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Moderate-to-severe diarrhea / Morbidity / Mortalitat infantil / Mortality / Mozambique / Mozambique - epidemiology / Moçambic / Multivariate analysis / Parasitology / Pathogens / Pediatrics / Population / Public health / Research Article / Risk analysis / Risk factor / Risk Factors / Rotavirus / Rotavirus Infections - epidemiology / Rotavirus Infections - mortality / Sepsis / Skin / Survival / Survival Rate / Systematic review / Tropical Medicine / Unconsciousness / Viruses