NUTRIENT ADSORPTION AND WEIGHT-GAIN IN PERSISTENT DIARRHEA - COMPARISON OF A TRADITIONAL RICE-LENTIL YOGURT/MILK DIET WITH SOY FORMULA/

We prospectively studied clinical outcome and nutrition absorption in male children (6-36 months of age) with persistent diarrhea (PD) and s evere protein-energy malnutrition (mean z score for age, -4.2 +/- 0.8) . Fifty-one children were randomly allocated to receive a combination of khitchri, a rice-lentil mixture, yogurt, and half-strength buffalo milk (group A; n = 26) or full strength soy formula (group B; n = 25) for 14 days. The initial caloric intake (p < 0.02) and mean weight gai n (p < 0.02) were greater in the group B patients. The mean stool volu me and frequency were comparable between the two groups. Seven childre n in group A were considered clinical failures by criteria of weight l oss and PD, compared to three in group B. The coefficients of absorpti on (COA) for protein were similar between the two groups, but group B patients had higher values of COA for energy and fat (p < 0.05) in the second week of nutritional rehabilitation. The majority (63%) of the children improved on the khitchri-yogurt-milk diet but the nutritional outcome was not as good as with the soy formula. These data indicate that a traditional diet can be successfully used in the dietary manage ment of PD and severe malnutrition but that a more optimal composition , yielding a higher success rate, should be sought.