Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41618232›Full record

ArticleBMC pediatrics2026

Double burden of malnutrition: Prevalence of anemia among children with severe acute malnutrition in Tharparkar, Pakistan.

Benazir Mahar, Saima Qader, Tazeen Shah, Noman Sadiq, Rozina Mangi, Rehnaz Shaikh, Dalpat Rai

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC pediatrics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Benazir MaharDepartment of Community Health, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. beenafs@hotmail.com.
Saima QaderHealth Department, Sindh, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.
Tazeen ShahDepartment of Physiology, Liaquat university of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan.
Noman SadiqDepartment of Physiology, Mekran Medical College, Baluchistan, Pakistan.
Rozina MangiDepartment of Physiology, Bilawal Medical College, Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan.
Rehnaz ShaikhDepartment of Physiology, Peoples University of Medical and Health Sciences for Women, Shaheed Benazir Abad, Sindh, Pakistan.
Dalpat RaiCivil Hospital Mithi, Mithi, Tharparkar, Pakistan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSevere acute malnutrition (SAM) is one of the most critical forms of childhood malnutrition and remains a major contributor to morbidity and mortality in low-resource settings. Anemia frequently coexists with SAM and further compromises child health by increasing susceptibility to infection and delaying recovery. Evidence on the burden of anemia among children with SAM in drought-prone regions of Pakistan remains limited.

methodsA hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March to June 2024 at the outpatient therapeutic program (OTP) of the district headquarters hospital in Tharparkar, Sindh, Pakistan. Children aged 6–59 months diagnosed with SAM were consecutively enrolled. Hemoglobin concentration was measured to assess anemia, while anthropometric indicators were used to confirm SAM. Descriptive statistics were used to estimate the prevalence and severity of anemia.

resultsA total of 129 children with SAM were included. The prevalence of anemia among children with SAM was 90.7% (n = 117; 95% CI: 85.6–95.7). The mean (± SD) hemoglobin level was 9.0 ± 1.4 g/dL. Most anemic children had moderate anemia, indicating a substantial compounded health burden.

conclusionAnemia is highly prevalent among children with severe acute malnutrition in Tharparkar, highlighting the convergence of multiple nutritional deficiencies in this vulnerable population. These findings underscore the need for integrated nutrition and anemia control strategies within SAM management programs, particularly in disaster-prone and underserved regions.

Indexed as

AnemiaSevere Acute MalnutritionChild, PreschoolCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHemoglobinsHumansInfantMalePakistanPrevalenceHemoglobinsAnemiaChildrenHemoglobinSevere acute malnutritionTharparkar

Identifiers

PMID41618232
PMCPMC12930557

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.