Prognostic value of different anthropometric indices over different measurement intervals to predict mortality in 6-59-month-old children.
Briend A., Myatt M., Berkley JA., Black RE., Boyd E., Garenne M., Lelijveld N., Isanaka S., McDonald CM., Mwangwome M., O'Brien KS., Schwinger C., Stobaugh H., Taneja S., West KP., Khara T.
To compare the prognostic value of mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), weight-for-height z-score (WHZ) and weight-for-age z-score (WAZ) for predicting death over periods of one, three and six months follow-up in children. Pooled analysis of 12 prospective studies examining survival after anthropometric assessment. Sensitivity and false-positive ratios to predict death within one, three and six months were compared for three individual anthropometric indices and their combinations. Community-based, prospective studies from 12 countries in Africa and Asia. Children aged 6-59 months living in the study areas. For all anthropometric indices, the receiver operating characteristic curves were higher for shorter than for longer durations of follow-up. Sensitivity was higher for death with one month follow-up compared to six months by 49% (95% CI: 30-69%) for MUAC <115 mm (p<0.001), 48% (95%CI: 9.4-87%) for WHZ