Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 31, 2026

A Point-of-Care Method with Integrated Decision Support Tool to Estimate Anemia at Population Level
05:35

A Point-of-Care Method with Integrated Decision Support Tool to Estimate Anemia at Population Level

Published on: January 19, 2024

Factors associated with mortality in under-five children with severe anemia in Ebonyi, Nigeria

Vivian U Muoneke1, Roland C Ibekwe, Henrietta U Nebe-Agumadu

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. vizym@yahoo.com

Indian Pediatrics
|July 2, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Severe anemia in under-five children is linked to high mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Risk factors for poor outcomes include coma, malnutrition, female gender, and lack of blood transfusion.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Hematology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Severe anemia is a significant health concern in under-five children in sub-Saharan Africa.
  • Identifying risk factors for poor outcomes is crucial for improving child survival rates.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the risk factors associated with poor outcomes in under-five children diagnosed with severe anemia.
  • To analyze predictors of mortality in this vulnerable population.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study was conducted at a University Teaching Hospital in Nigeria.
  • Under-five children presenting with severe anemia (defined as PCV <15% or Hb <5g/dL) were recruited.
  • Data on biodata, socio-economic status, clinical signs, symptoms, and laboratory investigations were collected and analyzed.

Main Results:

  • The prevalence of severe anemia was 9.7% (140 out of 1,450 patients).
  • Malaria was the most common cause of severe anemia (64.3%).
  • The case fatality rate was 13.6%, with mortality associated with malnutrition, tachycardia, coma, and absence of blood transfusion. Coma, lack of blood transfusion, and female gender predicted poor outcomes.

Conclusions:

  • Severe anemia poses a high mortality risk for young children in the region.
  • Key factors contributing to mortality include coma, malnutrition, female gender, and the absence of timely blood transfusions.
Abstract

Related Concept Videos

Factors Affecting Erythropoiesis01:24

Factors Affecting Erythropoiesis

The cardiovascular system regulates the number of erythrocytes in the bloodstream to ensure optimal oxygen transport. It also prevents over-proliferation of these cells, which helps to maintain blood viscosity and flow rate.
Several factors influence the erythrocyte production rate, with tissue oxygen level being among the most critical. Intense exercise or high altitudes can cause tissue hypoxia, which triggers the kidneys to release more erythropoietin (EPO) into the bloodstream.
EPO then...
Factors Affecting Illness01:18

Factors Affecting Illness

When a person's physical, emotional, intellectual, social development or spiritual functioning is compromised, this deviation from a healthy normal state is called illness. Illness creates stress that in turn harms individuals. Irritation, anger, denial, hopelessness, and fear are behavioral and emotional changes an individual experiences in the phases of illness. A variety of factors influence a person's health and well-being.
For instance, risk factors are connected to illness, disability,...
Disorders of Erythrocytes01:27

Disorders of Erythrocytes

Disorders of erythrocytes, or red blood cells (RBCs), include a range of conditions affecting their number, shape, or function.
Erythrocyte disorders can be broadly categorized into two main types: anemic and polycythemic conditions.
A low oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood due to the loss, lower production, or destruction of erythrocytes is termed anemia. Hemorrhagic anemia, for example, occurs when bleeding from an external wound or internal ulcer reduces erythrocyte counts.
On the other...
Anorexia Nervosa01:28

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is a complex and severe eating disorder characterized by an intense fear of weight gain, an unrelenting pursuit of thinness, and a distorted body image. It often leads to dangerously low body weight relative to an individual's age and height. This disorder is marked by significant physical and psychological consequences, making it one of the most life-threatening psychiatric illnesses.
Symptoms and Physical Effects
Individuals with anorexia nervosa commonly exhibit extreme...
Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection01:26

Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection

The hosts' susceptibility to infection depends on several factors. The integrity of the skin and mucous membranes helps protect the body against microbial attacks. When the skin is altered, the chance of infection, limb loss, and even death increases.
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin create...
The Periodic Table and Organismal Elements00:57

The Periodic Table and Organismal Elements

OverviewElements are the smallest units of matter that cannot be broken down further by chemical processes. There are 118 known elements, but not all of these are naturally-occurring, and fewer still are essential for life. Living matter is composed primarily of carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen, with smaller amounts of other elements like calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur. Other elements are also necessary for life but only in trace amounts.The Periodic Table Provides Information...