Effect of renutrition on natural and cell-mediated immune response in infants with severe malnutrition.

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a 4-week nutritional recovery period with a starting infant formula and 3.35 kJ/mL energy density would favorably affect the natural and cell-mediated immune response in infants with severe and primary protein-energy malnutrition.

Methodology: The study included 12 severely malnourished infants, 3 to 18 months of age. For 2 weeks, infants were fed a starting infant formula, with energy density increased to 0.8 kcal/mL, through a nasogastric tube. Infants were fed "ad libitum" for 2 more weeks. On the fifth day, 837 kJ/kg and 4 g/kg protein were given daily. At the beginning and at the end of the 4-week period, weight, length, phagocytosis, microbicidal activity, chemotaxis, and cell proliferation indices were measured. Null hypothesis was rejected with a paired t test and a P value less than 0.05.

Results: After the 4-week period of nutritional recovery, the weight and length indicators and the four immunologic assays showed significant increase (P < 0.005).

Conclusion: The study demonstrated that a 4-week nutritional recovery period with a starting infant formula and 0.8 kcal/mL energy density favorably affected the natural and cell-mediated immune response in infants with severe protein-energy malnutrition.