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.

1
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)

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90
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)

4

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

10

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
2
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💧
85
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)

5

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

10

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
3
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💧
90
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)

6

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

3

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
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💧
90
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

$5

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
5
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💧
95
DangerousModerateSafe

Time to Effect

Gradual, 1-3 months for observable changes

Duration

Ongoing

Response Rate

60%

Remission Rate

%

Annual Cost of Care

Drug Cost

$0

Monitoring

$100

Side Effects

$0

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