NCT05737472

High-protein Quantity and Quality RUTF in Improving Linear Growth Among Children With Severe Wasting

A Proof-of-concept Randomized Control Trial on the Role of Higher Protein Quantity and Quality-ready-to-use Therapeutic Food in Improving Linear Growth Among 6-23-month-old Children With Severe Wasting

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 128 (actual)
• Sponsor: The Hospital for Sick Children · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 6 Months – 23 Months
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This is a proof-of-concept trial that aims to compare the efficacy of an 8-week treatment with higher-protein-Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF) with standard RUTF in improving levels of markers of growths, height, nutritional recovery, and lean mass deposition among children with severe wasting. The study will also assess the safety and acceptability of the high-protein RUTF in comparison to the standard RUTF. The study will be conducted at four outpatient therapeutic programs in the Blantyre district of Malawi.

Detailed description

RUTF has successfully promoted recovery from severe wasting and widened treatment coverage. However, RUTF does not sufficiently promote linear growth, leaving many survivors of severe wasting at risk of persistent stunting. Stunting is associated with long-term effects like poor child development and an increased risk of non-communicable diseases in adults. High protein quantity and quality are known to stimulate linear growth; however, an RUTF with a higher protein quantity and quality than the standard RUTF has yet to be tested. The investigators hypothesize that the suboptimal linear growth in children surviving severe malnutrition can be improved by increasing the protein quantity and quality in the standard RUTF formulation. The investigators have designed a high protein quantity and quality RUTF that will be tested in a proof-of-concept quadruple-blind randomised controlled trial study design. The trial aims to compare the efficacy of higher-protein-RUTF and standard RUTF in improving markers of linear growth among 6-23 months old children with severe wasting. Children aged 6-23 months newly enrolled in outpatient treatment programs for severe wasting and without medical complications are eligible. They will be assigned to either increased protein RUTF or standard RUTF for eight weeks. The primary outcome is a change in insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF- 1) after four weeks of treatment. IGF-1 is a hormone that is mechanistically linked with growth. Secondary outcomes include ponderal and linear growth changes from baseline measured at eight weeks and plasma amino acid profile at four weeks. Other secondary outcomes are the acceptability and safety of high protein RUTF compared to standard RUTF. These findings will help to determine the optimal protein composition of RUTF to promote linear growth when treating severe wasting in children.

Conditions

• Severe Wasting
• Severe Acute Malnutrition

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	High-protein RUTF	The high-protein RUTF is isocaloric to the standard RUTF. To have a higher protein quantity and quality, the recipe has greater proportions of milk powder plus whey protein and vegetable oil. A total of 15% of energy is from protein. The protein quality score, digestible indispensable amino acid score (DIAAS )of the high protein, RUTF is 1.18 which is equivalent to a Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) of 1.19
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	Standard RUTF	The standard RUTF was manufactured according to WHO recommendations, with at least 50% of protein-sourced dairy, mainly skim milk. A total of 10% of energy is from protein. The protein quality score, digestible indispensable amino acid score (DIAAS) of the standard RUTF is 0.76, which is equivalent to a Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) of 0.86.

Timeline

• Start date: 2022-11-14
• Primary completion: 2023-07-26
• Completion: 2023-08-23
• First posted: 2023-02-21
• Last updated: 2024-04-30

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Malawi