09 April 2025 : Clinical Research
Etiological Patterns of Protein-Energy Malnutrition in a Pediatric Clinic in China
Mei Tang123ABCDEF, Yini Wang123CDE, Fan Yang123AE*, Yun Xiang123B, Jinhui Wu123BDOI: 10.12659/MSM.946284
Med Sci Monit 2025; 31:e946284
Table 1 Distribution of PEM causes in 286 children (n [%]).
| PEM cause | Proportion of PEM cause | PEM cause | Proportion of PEM cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| FA | 163 (57.0) | Global developmental delay | 3 (1.0) |
| SGA | 76 (26.6) | Congenital malformations*** | 11 (3.8) |
| Dietary behavior problems | 41 (14.3) | Hypothyroidism | 4 (1.4) |
| Premature* | 23 (8.0) | Chromosomal anomalies | 2 (0.7) |
| RRTI | 13 (4.5) | Suspected genetic metabolic diseases# | 2 (0.7) |
| Post-surgery of necrotizing enterocolitis, short bowel syndrome, recurrent lower respiratory tract infections** | 1 (0.3) | Others## | 23 (8.0) |
| * Still meets the diagnostic criteria for PEM after corrected gestational age. ** Refers to partial intestinal resection, enterostomy. *** Includes microcephaly (4 cases, 1 with epilepsy, global developmental delay), complex congenital heart disease (one case), congenital heart disease (3 cases, one with congenital heart disease and hypospadias, inguinal hernia), polydactyly (1 case), cleft palate, morning glory syndrome (1 case), situs inversus (1 case). # One case highly suspected of Silver-Russell syndrome, 1 case diagnosed with Helsmoortel-van der Aa syndrome. ## Other refers to cases where a specific cause of PEM was not identified. PEM – protein-energy malnutrition; FA – food allergy; SGA – small for gestational age; RRTI – recurrent respiratory tract infection. | |||