ASSOCIATION OF SERUM ALBUMIN LEVELS WITH RECOVERY OUTCOMES IN CHILDREN WITH SEVERE ACUTE MALNUTRITION

Abstract

Background: Especially in developing nations, severe acute malnutrition (SAM) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children under five. Children with SAM often have hypoalbuminemia, which may have an impact on recovery because it reflects poor nutritional status and the severity of the illness. The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether serum albumin levels and recovery outcomes in children suffering from severe acute malnutrition were related. Methodology: The Department of Pediatrics at Chandka Medical College Hospital conducted a prospective observational study involving 150 children aged 6 to 59 months with severe acute malnutrition. Blood samples were collected at hospital admission and after nutritional rehabilitation for serum albumin measurement using an automated biochemistry analyzer. Recovery outcomes, anthropometric measurements, and clinical data were documented, with statistical significance set at *p* < 0.05, and analyzed using SPSS version 26.0. Results: A study of 150 children with severe acute malnutrition revealed an average age of 22.8 months and a male predominance of 57.3%. Nutritional rehabilitation significantly improved body weight, MUAC, weight-for-height Z-score, and serum albumin levels, which increased from 2.58 g/dL to 3.61 g/dL (p < 0.001). Lower admission serum albumin was associated with poorer recovery, while higher values correlated with weight gain, MUAC improvement, and shorter hospital stays (all p < 0.001). Conclusion: In children with severe acute malnutrition, serum albumin is a useful and affordable biomarker for predicting recovery outcomes. In healthcare settings with limited resources, routine serum albumin testing can help identify high-risk patients, direct nutritional management, and enhance treatment outcomes.