Profile and Prognostic Value of Mucocutaneous Lesions in Children Hospitalized for Severe Acute Malnutrition in Nouakchott, Mauritania
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Abstract
Introduction: Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) remains a major public health problem and an important cause of morbidity and mortality among children in resource-limited settings. Cutaneous and mucosal lesions are frequent clinical manifestations in children with SAM and result from multiple nutritional deficiencies and associated infections. These lesions may serve as early and visible markers of disease severity and poor prognosis. Objective: To describe the profile of mucocutaneous lesions in children hospitalized for Severe acute malnutrition and to analyze their prognostic value in relation to clinical complications. Methods: A retrospective descriptive and analytical study was conducted at the Inpatient Nutritional Rehabilitation and Education Center of the National Hospital Center in Nouakchott. Medical records of children under 59 months hospitalized for Severe acute malnutrition were reviewed. Associations between mucocutaneous lesions, sociodemographic variables, and clinical complications were analyzed using the chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test (p < 0.05). Results: A total of 147 children were included, with a mean age of 14.6 months; 56.5% were boys. The prevalence of mucocutaneous lesions was 23.1%, predominantly oral (64.7%), mainly oral thrush (29.5%), aphthous ulcers (17.6%), and angular cheilitis (17.6%). No significant association was found with age, sex, or place of origin, whereas a significant association was observed with the quarter of hospitalization (p = 0.01). Children with lesions more frequently presented multiple complications, including anemia, cough, and dehydration, with a significant association with more than two concomitant complications (p = 0.01). Conclusion: Mucocutaneous lesions are common in children with Severe acute malnutrition and may serve as markers of increased morbidity, highlighting the importance of systematic screening at admission.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Mariem Sidi Mohamed, Aicha Biha, Mohmed Aly Lemrabott, Setty Sass, Ahmed Salem Cheikh Baba, Lella Abdellahi Hamedy, Ahmed El Baraa, Ahmed Feil
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