Condition

Protein-energy malnutrition

Clinical trials and treatment information for Protein-energy malnutrition

127.2M

People Affected

150

Active Trials

10.2M

New Cases/Year

189K

Deaths/Year

Treatment Rankings

Ranked by evidence volume first. Medicine has spent centuries ranking things by vibes. This is an improvement.

Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF)

95% Effectiveness• 95% Confidence• 90% Safety• 2 trials• 200K participants

HIGH EvidenceExcellent ValueDose: 150-220 kcal/kg/day, adjusted by weight/age

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Comparative Safety Scale(Higher is safer)

Cyanide☠️

Meth💀

Cigarettes🚬

Chemo☢️

Alcohol🍺

Morphine💊

Antibiotics💉

Tylenol💊

Exercise🏃

Water💧

DangerousModerateSafe

Time to Effect

1-2 weeks for weight gain, 4-8 weeks for recovery

Duration

4-8 weeks

Response Rate

85%

Remission Rate

80%

Number Needed to Treat (NNT)

Common Side Effects:

Minor gastrointestinal upset: 5%

Allergic reactions (e.g., peanut): 0.1%

Annual Cost of Care

Drug Cost

$500

Monitoring

$300

Side Effects

$50

Total Annual

$850

Cost-Effectiveness

EXCELLENT

QALYs Gained

ICER

$85/QALY

Cost per Remission

$1,062

Cost per Responder

$1,000

Treatment Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Weight6.0 kg

+42% (+2.5 kg)

Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC)10.0 cm

+25% (+2.5 cm)

Weight-for-Height Z-score (WHZ)-3.5 SD

+71% (+2.5 SD)

Hemoglobin9.0 g/dL

+22% (+2.0 g/dL)

Secondary Benefits

Motor Development Score (standardized)60 points

+25% (+15 points)

C-Reactive Protein (CRP)15 mg/L

-67% (-10 mg/L)

Vitamin A Levels0.6 µmol/L

+50% (+0.3 µmol/L)

Common Side Effects

Minor gastrointestinal upset

+5%

Allergic reactions (e.g., peanut)

+0.1%

Clinical Trial Phases:

Phase 4

Therapeutic Milk (F-75, F-100)

90% Effectiveness• 90% Confidence• 85% Safety• 1 trials• 50K participants

HIGH EvidenceExcellent ValueDose: F-75: 100 kcal/kg/day; F-100: 100-200 kcal/kg/day

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Comparative Safety Scale(Higher is safer)

Cyanide☠️

Meth💀

Cigarettes🚬

Chemo☢️

Alcohol🍺

Morphine💊

Antibiotics💉

Tylenol💊

Exercise🏃

Water💧

DangerousModerateSafe

Time to Effect

Days for stabilization (F-75), 1-2 weeks for rehabilitation (F-100)

Duration

2-3 weeks (inpatient)

Response Rate

85%

Remission Rate

80%

Number Needed to Treat (NNT)

Number Needed to Harm (NNH)

100

Common Side Effects:

Refeeding syndrome (electrolyte imbalance): 10%

Diarrhea: 5%

Annual Cost of Care

Drug Cost

$300

Monitoring

$3,000

Side Effects

$200

Total Annual

$3,500

Cost-Effectiveness

EXCELLENT

QALYs Gained

ICER

$350/QALY

Cost per Remission

$4,375

Cost per Responder

$4,118

Treatment Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Body Weight6.0 kg

+15% (+0.9 kg)

Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC)10.0 cm

+20% (+2.0 cm)

Serum Albumin2.5 g/dL

+20% (+0.5 g/dL)

Hemoglobin9.0 g/dL

+11.1% (+1.0 g/dL)

Secondary Benefits

Activity Level Score2/5

+75% (+1.5 points)

Daily Caloric Intake500 kcal/day

+100% (+500 kcal/day)

Height Growth Rate0.5 cm/month

+100% (+0.5 cm/month)

Common Side Effects

Refeeding syndrome (electrolyte imbalance)

+10%

Diarrhea

+5%

Clinical Trial Phases:

Phase 4

Ready-to-Use Supplementary Food (RUSF)

88% Effectiveness• 90% Confidence• 90% Safety• 1 trials• 60K participants

HIGH EvidenceExcellent ValueDose: 50-75 kcal/kg/day, adjusted by weight/age

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Comparative Safety Scale(Higher is safer)

Cyanide☠️

Meth💀

Cigarettes🚬

Chemo☢️

Alcohol🍺

Morphine💊

Antibiotics💉

Tylenol💊

Exercise🏃

Water💧

DangerousModerateSafe

Time to Effect

2-4 weeks for weight gain, 2-3 months for recovery

Duration

2-3 months

Response Rate

75%

Remission Rate

70%

Number Needed to Treat (NNT)

Common Side Effects:

Minor gastrointestinal upset: 3%

Allergic reactions (e.g., peanut): 0.05%

Annual Cost of Care

Drug Cost

$200

Monitoring

$200

Side Effects

$50

Total Annual

$450

Cost-Effectiveness

EXCELLENT

QALYs Gained

ICER

$150/QALY

Cost per Remission

$643

Cost per Responder

$600

Treatment Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Weight-for-height Z-score (WHZ)-3.0 SD

+50% (+1.5 SD)

Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC)100 mm

+15% (+15 mm)

Body Weight5.5 kg

+27.3% (+1.5 kg)

Secondary Benefits

Hemoglobin9.0 g/dL

+16.7% (+1.5 g/dL)

Serum Albumin3.0 g/dL

+16.7% (+0.5 g/dL)

Appetite/Feeding Score (e.g., 0-10 scale)3/10

+100% (+3 points)

Common Side Effects

Minor gastrointestinal upset

+3%

Allergic reactions (e.g., peanut)

+0.05%

Clinical Trial Phases:

Phase 4

Micronutrient Supplementation

80% Effectiveness• 90% Confidence• 90% Safety• 3 trials• 500K participants

HIGH EvidenceExcellent ValueDose: Varies by micronutrient (e.g., Zinc 10-20mg/day, Vitamin A 100,000-200,000 IU)

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Comparative Safety Scale(Higher is safer)

Cyanide☠️

Meth💀

Cigarettes🚬

Chemo☢️

Alcohol🍺

Morphine💊

Antibiotics💉

Tylenol💊

Exercise🏃

Water💧

DangerousModerateSafe

Time to Effect

Weeks to months for deficiency correction

Duration

Ongoing during rehabilitation

Response Rate

90%

Remission Rate

Common Side Effects:

Minor gastrointestinal upset: 2%

Taste aversion: 1%

Annual Cost of Care

Drug Cost

$15

Monitoring

$20

Side Effects

Total Annual

$40

Cost-Effectiveness

EXCELLENT

QALYs Gained

0.3

ICER

$133/QALY

Cost per Responder

$44

Treatment Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Weight-for-Height Z-score-2.5 SD (Severely Malnourished)

+40% (+1.0 SD)

Mid-Upper Arm Circumference11.0 cm (Severe Acute Malnutrition)

+13.6% (+1.5 cm)

Hemoglobin9.0 g/dL (Moderate Anemia)

+16.7% (+1.5 g/dL)

Serum Zinc55 mcg/dL (Zinc Deficient)

+27.3% (+15 mcg/dL)

Secondary Benefits

Incidence of Diarrheal Episodes3.5 episodes per 6 months

-30% (-1.05 episodes per 6 months)

Bayley-III Cognitive Composite Score80 (Below average for age)

+10% (+8 points)

Total Energy Intake700 kcal/day (for a 1-year-old with PEM)

+20% (+140 kcal/day)

Common Side Effects

Minor gastrointestinal upset

+2%

Taste aversion

+1%

Clinical Trial Phases:

Phase 4

Dietary Counseling and Education

75% Effectiveness• 85% Confidence• 95% Safety• 1 trials• 100K participants

MODERATE EvidenceExcellent ValueDose: N/A (behavioral intervention)

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Comparative Safety Scale(Higher is safer)

Cyanide☠️

Meth💀

Cigarettes🚬

Chemo☢️

Alcohol🍺

Morphine💊

Antibiotics💉

Tylenol💊

Exercise🏃

Water💧

DangerousModerateSafe

Time to Effect

Gradual, 1-3 months for observable changes

Duration

Ongoing

Response Rate

60%

Remission Rate

Annual Cost of Care

Drug Cost

Monitoring

$100

Side Effects

Total Annual

$100

Cost-Effectiveness

EXCELLENT

QALYs Gained

0.2

ICER

$500/QALY

Cost per Responder

$167

Treatment Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Body Weight45 kg

+11.1% (+5 kg)

Mid-Upper Arm Circumference20 cm

+12.5% (+2.5 cm)

Serum Albumin2.8 g/dL

+17.9% (+0.5 g/dL)

Handgrip Strength20 kg

+15% (+3 kg)

Secondary Benefits

Quality of Life (EQ-5D VAS)EQ-5D visual analogue scale score: 50/100

+16% (+8 points)

Fatigue (FACIT-Fatigue score)FACIT-Fatigue score: 25/52

+20% (+5 points)

Absolute Lymphocyte Count1.2 x 10^9/L

+16.7% (+0.2 x 10^9/L)

Clinical Trial Phases:

Phase 4