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Comparing Several Strategies to Manage Moderate Acute Malnutrition Among Children From 6 to 24 Months Old

A Multi-center, Randomized Controlled Comparison of Three Renutrition Strategies for the Management of Moderate Acute Malnutrition Among Children From 6 to 24 Months (Madagascar, Niger, Central African Republic and Senegal)

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03474276
Acronym
MALINEA
Enrollment
1357
Registered
2018-03-22
Start date
2018-01-31
Completion date
2019-06-30
Last updated
2022-05-24

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Moderate Acute Malnutrition

Keywords

Children, Africa, Metagenomic, Prebiotic, Randomized Controlled Trial, Pragmatic trial, Azithromycin, Cognitive impairment

Brief summary

The aim of this open-label randomized controlled trial conducted in four African countries (Madagascar, Niger, Central African Republic and Senegal) is to compare three strategies of renutrition for moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) in children based on modulation of the gut microbiota with enriched flours alone, enriched flours with prebiotics or enriched flours coupled with antibiotic treatment. Cognitive development of children (Senegal) will also be studied and compared.

Detailed description

The main objective of this study is to improve the nutrition strategy used to take in charge moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) which is the major milestone before severe malnutrition. This will be based on the modulation of the gut microbiota with adjunct product added to standard nutrition flours. The purpose of the MALINEA study is to compare three management strategies for Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) in children aged between 6 months and 2 years old on recovery defined by a weight/size gain at 3 months. The 3 groups will be compared on several anthropometric measurements \[Weight, length, Mid Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC)\], clinical characteristics, adherence and tolerance to interventions between before and after a 3 months intervention Cognitive development of children (Senegal) will also be studied and compared, at inclusion, 3 months and 6 months after inclusion. The investigators will also investigate the microbiomes of malnourished children at inclusion and at 3 and 6 months after inclusion to compare it to the ones of normonourished children.

Interventions

Administration of azythromycin to the child at inclusion (3 days) 20 mgs/kgs/day : three days

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTInuline and fructo-oligosaccharides

Administration of inuline and fructo-oligosaccharides (Synergy1) 2g/day, mixed with the fortified blend flour given to the child through the whole intervention.

DRUGAlbendazole

Administration of Albendazole at inclusion of the child : 200mgs, one administration

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTFortified blend flour

Children from 6 to 11 months : 200 grams / day Children from 12 to 24 months : 300 grams / day Compostion of the fortified blend flour per 100 grams : either : Mil (whole grains): 58,56 g/100g, Soybeans (fat meal): 16,54g/100g Peanuts (roasted seeds): 8,75g/100g, Cane sugar: 7,35 g/100g Whole milk (Powder): 7,56g/100g, MSV MAM: 0,28g/100g, iodized salt :0,45g/100g, CaC03: 0,48g/100g,Amylase BAN: 0,03g/100g OR Corn (whole grains): 53,29g/100g, Soybeans (dry seeds): 17,82g/100g, Peanuts (roasted seeds): 9,00 g/100g, Cane sugar: 11,00 Whole milk (Powder): 5,00g/100g, Soybean Oil (Purified): 1,24g/100g, Peanut oil (Purified): 1,13g/100g, MSV MAM: 0,27g/100g, iodized salt: 0,53 g/100g, Ca3(PO4)2: 0,62g/100g, KCl: 0,09g/100g

Sponsors

Action Contre la Faim
CollaboratorOTHER
Centre de Recherches Médicales et Sanitaires CERMES Niger
CollaboratorUNKNOWN
Institut Pasteur de Madagascar
CollaboratorOTHER
Institut Pasteur de Bangui
CollaboratorAMBIG
Institut Pasteur de Dakar
CollaboratorOTHER
Institut Pasteur
Lead SponsorINDUSTRY

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
6 Months to 24 Months
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Children aged from 6 to 24 months olds. * Moderate acute malnutrition defined by a -3 ≤ Weight/Height z-score \< -2 SD. * Written informed consent of parents or legal guardian. * Child able to be brought back to the centre on the two following days of inclusion. * Child able to be followed up during at least three months.

Exclusion criteria

* Severe malnutrition defined by a mid upper arm circumference \< 115 mm OR Weight/Height z-score \< -3 SD OR presence of nutritional oedema. * Clinical complications or according to the physician any clinical sign requiring care outside of the recruitment centre (referral to specialised centre or hospitalisation) * Diarrhea with mucus and bloody stools. * Current incompatible treatment : Antacids, Cetirizine, Digoxin, Ergotamine, Azidothymidine. * Known hypersensitivity to macrolides or albendazole (or one of its components) * Known allergy to enriched flours or prebiotics used in the study, or one of its components.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Recovery at three monthThree monthRecovery at three months, defined by: Weight/Size Z-score ≥ -1.5 SD measured at 2 following consultations without hospitalization, transfer, death or lost to follow up

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Cognitive-motor development (Senegal)Baseline, three, six and nine months after inclusionDevelopmental Milestones Checklist II (DMC II) questionnaire to evaluate participating children cognitive and motor abilities.
Comparison of the Operational Taxonomic Unit composition of stool samples according to the nutritional statusBaseline, three and six months after inclusionEach sample will be ADN extracted using Quiagen technology 16S and 18S amplification will be conducted following Hughert et al. (2014) and Tang et al. (2015). PCR products will be sequenced using NGS Illumina plateform. Sequences will be analyzed using Mothur 1.37.6 software and Silva data base (https://www.arb-silva.de/browser). OTU (Operational Taxonomic Unit) composition will be determined for each sample. OTU composition of samples from well and malnourished children will be compared using mann whitney test, and shift in OTUs during renutrition will be analysed using survival analysis.

Countries

Central African Republic, Madagascar, Niger, Senegal

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 4, 2026